Students interested in careers in healthcare are turning to Certified Nursing Assistant programs, with an average of 10 students per academic year getting their CNA certification, and many working in the Hillsdale Hospital or the Hillsdale County Medical Care Facility, according to Career Services Director of Employee Relations Sharon Rupp.

A CNA certification lets students assist patients with daily activities like bathing, feeding and mobility while monitoring vital signs and supporting nurses in delivering basic medical care. Career Services partners with the Sauk Trail Education Center in Jonesville to provide CNA classes to students wishing to obtain this certification. 

Rupp said the partnership emerged from a need to give students exposure to healthcare environments without delaying their academic progress. 

“Around 2020, we noticed an uptick in students who were interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, and we wanted to help them find ways to get the experience they needed to apply to programs that require or look for that,” Rupp said. “We found that CNA work is a perfect way for students to achieve those hours, so we wanted to encourage students to get their certification and start working so that they are not sitting idle and are at least able to get some experience during the academic year.”

Rupp said physician assistant school applications require a set amount of patient contact hours. Having healthcare experience for other programs, such as medical and nursing school, makes students  much stronger candidates. 

The CNA courses offered through the Sauk Trail Education Center are structured around students’ schedules, making it easier and faster to get their certification, according to Rupp. 

“The lady who runs it is very accommodating, and she understands the students’ busy schedules,” Rupp said. “She offers different length classes, anywhere from 10 days to three weeks in length, even possibly during nights or weeks. There are a lot of class options, so often we will have students take it at the beginning or end of a semester.” 

The state of Michigan requires CNA programs to provide 75 hours of combined classroom and clinical instruction. 

Senior Anna Heldt finished her three-week class at the end of February. Heldt plans to begin nursing school next January and saw CNA work as a way to spend her gap months.

“I knew I had about six to seven months before I would start nursing school, so I thought, why not get some clinical hours in, get some experience, and get paid?” Heldt said.

Heldt described her experience as eye-opening. 

“I learned how to take care of people well,” Heldt said. “You also realize just how hands-on and how beautiful it is to care for your residents; they really need your help every step of the way.”

She added that the work confirmed her career goals.

“I remember roaming the halls during my clinicals and feeling like this was exactly where I was supposed to be,” Heldt said.

Senior Lucia Ruchti worked as a CNA at HCMCF for part of the school year, and echoed Heldt’s sentiment. 

“It is such a fulfilling job,” Ruchti said. “It is very physically taxing but just being there and listening to the people’s stories, knowing that you’re helping someone, was very rewarding.”

Ruchti noted that CNA work can be a defining experience for students considering healthcare careers.

“It’s either you really like it, or you hate it,” she said. “I was lucky enough to find it rewarding.”