Martha’s Vineyard Center for Education and Training (MVCET) is attempting to provide training for future nurses on the Island.
MVCET is seeking instructors to oversee a part of its new nursing aide training program, to be held this upcoming spring. The program is being done on-Island in collaboration with Upper Cape Tech (UCT) in Bourne. According to MVCET executive director Holly Bellebuono, Upper Cape Tech “are accredited and have years of experience” running nursing training programs.
“We are a ‘satellite program,’” Bellebuono said in an email. “We tried to run a class through UCT last fall, but the instructor pulled out at the last minute. We are now hoping to run it in the spring, and are seeking an instructor.”
Mary Burke, director of adult and continuing education at Upper Cape Tech, said MVCET partnered with the school to offer an electrical program last fall. She described it as “enormously successful.”
The state application processes for the nurse training program and interviews for instructors are underway, according to Burke. “In this program, students complete the didactic portion of the program online, followed by a three-week clinical rotation at Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the Certified Nursing Assistant Certification exam,” Burke said. “We are thrilled to be able to work with Martha’s Vineyard Center for Education & Training to bring these programs to the Island. We plan to work together on more program offerings in the future.”
When asked for further comments, Bellebuono said she preferred to have a conversation about the program “when we’ve got an instructor lined up, so that we can fully commit to the class and get people enrolled.”
Training more nurse aides would be “incredibly beneficial to the Island, and Martha’s Vineyard Hospital in particular,” Martha’s Vineyard Hospital spokesperson Marissa Lefebvre said in an email. “Nurse aides are a vital part of healthcare teams, particularly in inpatient and long-term-care settings.”
Lefebvre said there are currently 74 full-time registered nurses employed by the hospital. “Like many hospitals across the country, MVH is also experiencing a shortage of nurses. We work with travel nursing agencies, and our pool of per diem nurses, to fill in any gaps until we are able to fill positions long-term,” she said. “The length of time nurses are employed at MVH varies greatly, with a range of a few years all the way up to those who have been here their whole career, upwards of 30 years or more, but the average tenure is approximately 7.5 years.”
The nurse instructor would primarily provide clinical supervision for in-person labs and clinical observations. The instructor must have active Massachusetts licensure as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, and at least one year of work experience in long-term care. Those interested can contact Burke at mburke@uppercapetech.org.
