"I am going into nursing next year, and I thought this would be a good start and something to do while I am in college for three years," she said. Connie Hamby, 21, plans to eventually become a Registered Nurse and a certified phlebotomists. "This program is very informative," she said. "Even though I am only on my second day, I already love it." Marsha Bell said CNA work is a pathway to many other jobs, including telemetry technicians, phlebotomists, medical assistants and unit clerks. The Education Center will serve as a regional health care education center, Woodard said. It also has a 36-station computer center that is being used for medical record training. The facility later this year will house a mock physician's office and a state-of-the-art simulation lab that will feature a mock ICU or medical/surgical room, trauma modules, robotic adult and child and a control room. Woodard said a medical assistant program also may be added at a later time. "What we are hearing from practitioners in the community is they need medical assistants; they are hard to find," he said. The first Nursing Assistant class graduated six students, the current class began Monday and the third session will begin June 12.
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