|
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Students in Mid-State Technical College’s (MSTC) respiratory therapy, phlebotomy, nursing assistant, medical assistant and nursing programs have new opportunities this semester for hands-on training that will give them expanded real world experience, thanks to equipment donations from area businesses. During the MSTC monthly board meeting, held Monday evening, board members learned about medical equipment donations to many of the college’s health occupation programs.
According to Eldean Walling, Dean, Service & Health Division, the respiratory therapy program received a Siemens SC 9000 monitor system which supports simulated instruction through real life scenarios. She said instructor Barb Hughes facilitated the donation from Doctor’s Oxygen Service. “Barb worked with a program graduate who lives in Spencer and works for Doctor’s Oxygen Service. The Siemens SC 9000 is a cardio-pulmonary patient monitor and will provide a simulated learning experience in the classroom for teaching vital signs such as heart rate, heart rhythm and oxygen levels in the blood,” said Walling.
Students in the phlebotomy program and those in general health laboratory courses now have access to a Chemstrip Urine Analyzer, donated by Aspirus Doctors Clinic in Wisconsin Rapids. Walling said the equipment provides students with the ability to receive automatic, printed results which identify the timing of incubation of a test strip, measurement and calculation of results. “Knowledge of this piece of equipment is valuable in a physician’s office, an office lab, clinic or hospital point-of-care because it provides an affordable and reliable alternative to visual urinalysis test strip evaluation.”
Dr. Sue Budjac, Vice President of Academic Affairs, reported that the third equipment donation came from Sunrise Medical in Stevens Point. “Sunrise Medical will outfit MSTC’s nursing assistant labs, which are used jointly with the nursing program at the Wisconsin Rapids campus and the medical assistant program at the Stevens Point and Marshfield campuses, with entirely new equipment at no
cost to the college.” She said the partnership with Sunrise Medical includes the equipment donation as well as feedback from MSTC faculty, students and staff. “Sunrise will seek responses from those using the equipment to acquire information regarding its functionality, safety, usability, durability and user-friendliness.” According to Dr. Budjac, the first installation of equipment will take place at MSTC’s Stevens Point campus in December. Additional equipment will be installed in Wisconsin Rapids in February and the Marshfield campus will have equipment installed in concert with the upcoming campus building project. “These generous donations from area businesses have immediate and highly relevant application to many of our health programs and related laboratory courses,” said Dr. Budjac “Equipment donations and other educational materials which support the programs offered at Mid-State Technical College are very much appreciated. This is particularly true for our many programs which require laboratory or hands-on experiences,” she added.
In other news…
- The board learned that MSTC signed a partnership agreement for the transfer of credit between Silver Lake College and the Wisconsin Technical College System. This is a system-wide agreement which articulates a minimum of 60 credits toward the requirements of a Silver Lake College bachelor’s degree. “This agreement will provide more opportunities for our students,” said Dr. Budjac.
Pat Steiner, Cosmetology & Barbering Instructor, and Barb Jascor, Criminal Justice-Corrections Instructor, gave a report regarding their involvement and their students’ participation in helping to create awareness of preventing domestic violence through activities in their respective programs. Steiner said in general, cosmetologists get to know their clients very well and are often asked to be confidants. “Because this is true throughout the cosmetology industry, the National Cosmetology Association, in partnership with Clairol and Southern Living at Home created ‘Cut it Out’, a program of Salons Against Domestic Abuse.” She said the Cut it Out program mobilizes salon professionals to help fight domestic abuse by building awareness, training cosmetologists to recognize signs of abuse and to refer clients to local resources, such as the Family Center. “A component of the ‘Cut it Out’ program is the ‘Adopt a Shelter’ project. Our cosmetology department has adopted the Family Center in Wisconsin Rapids. The students and I have several activities planned for the year and will be on call for the shelter,” said Steiner.
According to Jascor, October is annually designated as Domestic Violence Awareness month. One of her earlier educational efforts to make a difference in the prevention of domestic abuse was providing rehabilitative training for inmate offenders at Waupun Correctional Institution. Although
Jascor and Steiner work in different programs they have formed a coalition in helping their students learn how to help others. Jascor said Criminal Justice-Corrections students sponsored several activities within the MTSC community to help raise awareness about domestic violence. “They hosted a Domestic Violence Awareness presentation on the Wisconsin Rapids campus where staff from the Family Center conducted a one-hour educational program for students, staff and community members.” She said students also developed educational posters displayed throughout the campus with messages about the impact of domestic violence on society. Jascor added that while she and Steiner’s professional experiences vary, with the help of their students in both programs, they hope to continue to educate and broaden awareness about domestic violence. “Given the unique opportunity of the careers we represent, it is our hope that students will take this knowledge and make a difference in the life of another,” said Jascor.
Chris Maguire, Foundation & Alumni Director, shared a video of the MSTC Foundation’s 25th Annual Scholarship Reception. The video highlighted the awards reception held in October. According to Maguire, over $62,000 in scholarships were awarded to 112 recipients at the event. “As the MSTC Foundation celebrated 25 years of scholarship distribution on October 19, District and Foundation Board members along with staff, donors and recipients’ families, were able to witness the significant impact that receiving a scholarship has on our students.” She said in 1981 the Foundation awarded 17 scholarships totaling $1,600. “During the past 25 years the MSTC Foundation has assisted over 2,000 students in achieving their educational goals through distribution of over $1.6 million in scholarships.”
The next Mid-State Technical College Board of Directors meeting will be held Monday, December 18, at the Wisconsin Rapids campus. Committee meetings are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m., with the regular board meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. To learn more about MSTC programs and services, please call 888.575.6782 or visit the college’s website at mstc.edu
|
|
