John Wood Community College and Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences (BRCNHS) signed an agreement today to combine resources to deliver JWCC’s surgical technology degree. The agreement between the institutions will expand the program’s resources to provide the tristate area with Surgical Technologists.

“Our goal is to provide as many healthcare professionals in a wide range of career paths for the region without duplicating services,” Elbe said. “This agreement makes the best use of private and public community resources and maintains the access and value students expect from John Wood. Blessing-Rieman’s continued partnership is key to helping students find their specific path in the healthcare field, and we are grateful for their support.”

The agreement goes into effect in the spring of 2018 and states that all JWCC students pursuing a surgical technology degree will take all general education and pre-requisite courses at JWCC. Students will receive the second year of instruction through an agreement with BRCNHS at their facilities, including multi-million dollar simulation and lab facilities to earn an associate in applied science degree in surgical technology from JWCC.

Surgical technologists work in many areas of healthcare facilities, including operating and delivery rooms, one-day surgery centers, emergency and central supply departments and ambulatory care centers.

“As partners in health science education we seek to do the best for the most students, and this arrangement continues that effort,” Brenda Beshears, president and chief executive officer of Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences said. “We want increase the number of healthcare professionals who are prepared to deliver excellent care in any way we can.”

JWCC first accepted students into a certificate program in 2000 and expanded coursework to offer a two-year associate degree in 2012.

The surgical technology program has a solid foundation in the health sciences, which allows graduates to continue up the career ladder in areas such as nursing, certified surgical technologist in a first assist role and a personal surgical technologist/scribe. It also offers employment as a traveling surgical technologist and working with organ procurement organizations.

The two-year degree includes the following courses: anatomy and physiology, surgical pharmacology, technical math, interpersonal communication, psychology, medical terminology, microbiology and multiple specialized courses and clinical work in surgical technology. Students pair with a highly skilled, qualified clinical mentor at an area clinical facility.

Students also complete a lab component that provides the necessary skills and techniques to help students apply best practice of sterile technique and surgical procedures. The addition of the simulation lab at BRCNHS will provide students with a new perspective on surgical procedures, equipment and instrumentation.

More information about the program can be found at www.jwcc.edu/surgtech.