Home > RiverOak CNA Class Held at ACV a Success

RiverOak CNA Class Held at ACV a Success

Following Suwannee-Hamilton Technical Center’s identity change to RiverOak Technical College (Live Oak, Florida) last year, administration added several new program opportunities. Early this year, the college renewed its partnership with Advent Christian Village (ACV) in order to offer a unique, five-week Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) class taught at Good Samaritan Center, ACV’s skilled nursing community. This isn’t the first class of this type to be taught at ACV and they are thrilled to be working with RiverOak to once again offer more medical education in western Suwannee County.

Good Samaritan Center’s (GSC) main focus is the health, wellbeing and comfort of its residents. The success of that goal is dependent upon skilled employees who have a heart for compassionate care. The administrative staff of GSC reached out to RiverOak Technical College Director Walter Boatright for ideas in recruiting and hiring qualified CNA candidates. Boatright generously and enthusiastically offered the opportunity to have a CNA class taught again on the Advent Christian Village campus.

The logistics of the class can be compared to a paid internship: Individuals taking the CNA class are students of RiverOak and also paid employees of Advent Christian Village. Once the course requirements are complete — including passing a state test —each student continues their employment at ACV as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

RiverOak has been instrumental in making this program a success by assisting in instructional support, marketing and advertising, the application process, testing, graduation programs, and overall cheer leading. Instructor Brenda O’Steen, a Good Samaritan Center employee, has developed a course that meets the classroom and clinical requirements set forth by the Florida Department of Education’s curriculum framework. Students have the opportunity to work with GSC residents while completing their clinical requirements. It’s an intensive, yet concise program.

Eighteen students have graduated from the first three classes, and six more students are set to graduate at the end of the month. Candidates for the class set to begin in August are currently being selected. Students who complete the program are required to commit to work at ACV for one year following the successful completion of the program. “Our desire,” writes GSC Administrator Keri Hilliard, “is that these candidates would choose to spend a long and successful career serving the residents at Advent Christian Village.”

The class application process consists of completing applications for both RiverOak and ACV. Applications can be completed onsite at Good Samaritan Center at Advent Christian Village (10676 Marvin Jones Blvd., Dowling Park, FL 32060). Potential candidates are reviewed, and those who meet the qualifications are interviewed. More information is available by calling GSC at (386) 658-5550 or RiverOak at (386) 647-4200.

Advent Christian Village is grateful to RiverOak Technical College, Walter Boatright, Suwannee County Schools Superintendent Jerry Scarborough, and the Suwannee County School Board for the opportunity to bring the CNA class to Dowling Park.