DEPARTMENT OF ALLIED HEALTH
Advisory Breakfast Meeting
September 17, 2009
Faculty/Administrators in attendance: Rita Weingourt, Leticia Barajas, Christine Chandler, Debbie Jenkinson, Joyce Reiley, Rose Villora,
Maggie Davis-Kendrick
Administrative Support: Yvette Wickman
Clinical Agency Representatives: Diane Alvy, Stop Nursing Shortages, Inc., Jo Ann Whitaker, Director of Education at Cedars-Sinai, Annie
Medina, Director of Health Services, Silverado Senior Living
Meeting Time: _9:00am-10:45 am____
Agenda Item
Discussion
Call to Order
and Welcome
Rita Weingourt called the meeting to order at 10:00 am and made
introductions.
Restrictions on
Student Nurse
Activities at
Cedars-Sinai
Jo Ann Whitaker reported that 75% of their new RN hires were
BSN prepared and 25% were ADN prepared. A significant
number of new hires made I.V. medication errors. As a result
student nurses are prohibited from working with I.V. medications
as part of their clinical rotations. They will be allowed to work
with I.V. medications during preceptorship when under the direct
supervision of a Cedars RN. The faculty pointed out those
students who give I.V. meds are under the supervision of their
instructor who is an RN. Also, it was pointed out those students
who must wait until preceptorship to give I.V. meds will be
underprepared when they graduate. Since the majority of
medication errors were made by BSN graduates then ADN
students may be unfairly targeted. It was speculated that
preceptors may feel overwhelmed by students who reach 4th
semester without having had the opportunity to practice skills.
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Action/Recommendation
There were clinical agency reps who had intended to
attend but were not able to find parking.
Ms Whitaker listened to the objections and stated that
she was in agreement. She stated that a letter from Ida
Danzig about this policy had been sent to other
directors. She asked that she be sent a copy so that she
could present it to administration.
.
Agenda Item
RN Program
Support Groups
Discussion
Diane Alvy from Stop Nursing Shortages, Inc. gave a report
regarding high dropout rate among nursing students. One reason
for the high dropout rate is fear and anxiety. The stress of
nursing school has been found to be higher than the stress of
medical school. Ms Alvy has formed Stop Nursing Shortages,
Inc. She is conducting a pilot program of student support groups
at LATTC and LACC. The program is geared towards reducing
the nursing shortage by providing support to the students. The
groups meet every Monday for 90 minutes.
Action/Recommendation
The clinical agency reps recognized the value of support
groups. Cedars and Silverado currently have monthly support
groups for new employees.
College
Probation Issues
Leticia Barajas, Dean of Workforce Development, reported on
the college accreditation status and the impact on our students..
Since the probation is due to administrative and program review
issues that are in the process of being resolved there is no impact
on our students. The college probation status has no bearing on
the BRN accreditation of the RN Program.
Recommendatio
ns
JoAnn Whitaker reported that they are hiring pharmacists at
Cedars. They recently hired 66 pharmacists and a fewer number
of pharmacy techs..
Pharmacists need graduate education. However, the need for
pharmacists and pharmacy techs could have an impact on the
science department at LATTC.
Annie Medina from Silverado stated that their facility is looking
to hire caregivers with a certification specializing in Alzheimer
and dementia.
Ms Medina and Dr. Weingourt have set up a meeting to talk
further about a possible post-CNA certificate program in this
area. Dr. Weingourt and Dean Barajas will look into grant
possibilities for this area.
Ms Medina discussed the importance of customer service in
nursing. She complimented the CNA students she has
interviewed on their professionalism. JoAnn Whitaker
complimented new grads at Cedars for their therapeutic skills.
Ms Chandler stated that customer service skills are integrated
into the curriculum.
Ms Medina would like to have RN students at her new
facility. She wants to work exclusively with the LATTC
programs
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Medical
Assistant
Program
Swing Space
Dr. Weingourt reported that the MA program has been approved
by curriculum committee. She stated that this program will be a
step on the career ladder to the Registered Nursing program. The
program is scheduled to begin in Spring 2010.
We will be moving back to first floor of the A bldg in June 2010.
Clinics and medical offices will be the likely places for
students to gain experience.
The next administrative meeting will feature a tour of the
new facilities.
Psychiatric
Patients on
MedSurg Units
Ms Koo, who could not attend the meeting, telephoned and
asked that the question of how to handle psych patients on a
medsurg unit be raised. She wanted suggestions on how to teach
nurses to respond therapeutically in crisis situations. Ms
Whitaker suggested the name of someone in their psych
department who might be able to offer some in-service training.
In addition, she said that Cedars had been having the same
difficulties and they hired a full time psych nurse consultant who
responds to calls from medical floors within 24 hrs.
Surgical Tech
Dr. Weingourt brought up the issue of the surgical tech shortage This issue will be tabled until the next meeting.
that was discussed at the last administrative meeting. She
reported that she had researched the possibility of a program but
found that it was expensive to create that accreditation was
complicated although the new space will have an area that can be
used for basic surgical skill training. The agency reps who most
wanted to study the feasibility of this program were not in
attendance. However, Ms Whitaker stated that Cedars doesn’t
need Surgical Techs and that they have been training OR nurses
in-house. Last year County-USC stated that they need surg techs
and central supply techs who, by definition would have to have
knowledge of surgical supplies and instruments.
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Dr. Weingourt will pass on this feedback to Ms Koo.