Health Careers Program Review
WEST HILLS COLLEGE
PROGRAM REVIEW/PLANNING PROCESS
UNIT PLANNING GUIDE - INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS
TO BE COMPLETED BY UNIT/DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE
(Please submit this information using Microsoft Word. In formatting your response, please use the exact outline developed below.)
I. General Information
Unit/Department: Health Careers
Date Prepared: 3/25/09 -4/10/09
Prepared By: Faculty/Staff of Health Careers Department
Faculty/Staff: Sherry Barragan, Hector Dam-Mikkelsen, Verna Hernandez, Rhonda Mayer, Frank Morales, Catherine Noel, Tina Rolfsema, Leisa Wyman, April Chavarria, Erin Devine
Courses Included In This Unit Plan: HS-5 Medical Terminology, HS-61 Nurse Assistant Training, PsyTec 10 Introduction to Psychiatric Technician, PsyTec 12 Nursing Science, PsyTec 16 Care of Developmentally Disabled, and PsyTec 14 Psychiatric Nursing
II. Qualitative Analysis
A. Please provide a general description of the program(s) or service(s) that are offered by your unit or department. When applicable, discuss any pertinent historical developments which impact the structure of your area or future planning.
The Psychiatric Technician Program prepares the student for employment in the mental health field. Upon successful completion of the Psychiatric Technician Program the student qualifies to take the licensure exam from the California Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians. The three areas of study include Nursing Science, Care of Developmentally Disabled, and Mental Disabilities. In this program students learn how to utilize the Nursing Process in the planning, care, and treatment of individuals with mental, emotional, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
Coalinga State Hospital opened in 2005 with a population of 50 individuals. Currently Coalinga State Hospital houses 900 individuals with a plan to expand to 1500. There are approximately 250 vacancies for Licensed Psychiatric Technicians at this time.
The Nurse Assistant Training Program prepares the student for employment in an entry level position in the medical field. Upon successful completion of the Nurse Assistant Training Program the student qualifies to take the certification exam from the Department of Health Services. This area of study includes Basic Nursing Skills, Safety and Body Mechanics and End of Life Care. Since July 2008 the class size has increased from 15 students per class to 30 students per class due to the need in the surrounding medical/surgical hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and Coalinga State Hospital.
The medical terminology class provides the student with an understanding of terminology utilized in the medical field.
B. Please list assumptions or trends unique to your area that are likely to influence your discipline or profession; you may want to describe how the nature and needs of students in your service area are changing, etc.
(Example: Regional issues, new employers, water, resources, or changing demographics)
There is a growing need for Psychiatric Technicians within the Department of Corrections due to trans-institutionalization of individuals with mental illness and longer sentencing laws. The Central Valley has a disproportionally large number of prisons compared to the rest of the State of California.
With the economic downturn, this program continues to provide students with the opportunity to earn above average salaries in a historically, economically depressed area.
We are taking steps to meet the need of displaced workers by providing additional educational opportunities to service a greater number of students.
There is a growing need for Nursing Assistants in the Central Valley. Coalinga State Hospital opened its doors in 2005 with 50 patients. They now house approximately 900 patients and have a need for more staff. This staff includes certified nursing assistances/psychiatric technician assistants (CNA/PTA) , psychiatric technicians, licensed vocational nurses and registered nurses. With the economic downturn, this program continues to provide students with the opportunity to start at an entry level medical field position and if desired continue their education in the medical field in classes at West Hills College such as Psychiatric technician program and RN program.
C. Provide program or service goal statements form the core of your unit plan. In prioritized order, describe the near term (3-Year) and long range (10-Year) direction/vision for your program(s). Describe what you want to do differently or more effectively in the future.
(Example: to introduce psychology to non-majors and to help serve other programs on campus and their students.)
Psychiatric Technician program
1. Integrate basic skills and upgrade by providing tutoring in math and incorporating it in objectives.
2. Create a Math course that is more directly related to nursing, (i.e. foundation skills to apply in the Health Care format)
NAT program
Continue to provide Nurse Assistant Training classes three times a year at the Coalinga Campus (class size 30) and once a year at the North District Campus (class size 15-30).
D. Curriculum: Please describe the curriculum changes anticipated in the next three years. These described changes would include major course revisions, course deletions, new courses, revised or new options within a program, or proposed new programs. Please cite reasons, such as technological changes, demographic changes and multicultural issues, changes in the subject field, enrollment trends, or why such changes are expected.
Only changes anticipated for the Psychiatric Technician program would be upon the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians regulation changes and deleting PsyTec 10 as a pre-req. After deleting PsyTec 10 we will have a requirement for a current American Heart Association CPR card to be accepted into the program, place the orientation portion of PsyTec 10 into the orientation of PsyTec 12, and Schedule the Therapeutic Strategies Intervention (TSI) in the clinical portion of PsyTec 16. Also adding a weekend program to meet the needs of students that would need to work full time while in the program.
Changes for the NAT program include increasing the hours and units to meet the anticipated regulations set by the Department of Public Health Services. It is anticipated within the year there may be an increase in hours needed which would then demonstrate the need to increase the amount of units the class would be worth.
Medical Terminology has not been held since spring of 2008. This class could be offered twice a year, once in spring and once in fall to provide a better understanding of terminology before the students enter the NAT or Psychiatric Technician classes.
E. Instruction: Please describe any anticipated changes in the area of instructional methodology in the next three years. This statement might include the use of self-contained video recorders, computer-aided instruction, the mix of large group lectures and small group discussions, greater use of LRC, instructive video, etc.
The Psychiatric Technician classes would like to make greater use of the Learning Resource Center, and Disabled Student Program Services
The NAT classes would like to offer distance education for the theory section of this class if there would be classroom space to offer distance education. Distance Ed could be set up in Firebaugh and Lemoore
F. Technology: Please describe how technology will be used to enhance teaching/learning.
Distance Learning can reach more students and allow for larger class capacity and serve lower income students that can not afford to travel. When classrooms with the distance learning technology become available for the NAT program we would like to put it to use. We could reach students in Firebaugh more than once a year
Simulation Technology (Sim Man for Skills Lab) The Sim Man will provide valuable learning experiences in skills lab that is not always available
in the clinical settings.
Web Box (Sherry Barragan will provide flyer)
G. Supplies: Please describe the supply requirements of your existing programs, as well as the effect that any proposed curricular or instructional changes would have on the supplies required in the next three years. This statement should include the kinds and amounts of supplies needed, any anticipated costs, and the need for any computer software.
1. Need for $2000.00 per fiscal year for general office supplies with an increase as the program increases in size.
2. Also with the increase of the program size now a new software system such as “Secure CRT” or “I-Train” to track student progress as well as keeping general demographics and case notes in computer system.
3. Latest version of Adobe
4. Maintain copy machine contract.
5. Maintain printers in office and maintain toner for said printers. Approximately $1000.00/year.
6. Need for $4250.00 for various medical supplies for skills lab ie trach care sets, latex gloves, sterile gloves, wound care supplies (tape gauze of various size, steri strips), suture removal kits, irrigation trays, pulse oximeters, syringes , needles, and personal protective gear (gowns, masks, eye protection).
7. Shredder Company that buys paper shreds and recycles paper. (Thinking Green)
H. Equipment: Please describe the equipment requirements of your existing program, as well as the effect that any proposed curricular or instructional changes would have on equipment required in the next three years. This statement should include a description of and rationale for new equipment or replacement of existing equipment and the estimated costs of the equipment. It should also include any on-going maintenance and installation requirements, as well as an estimate of the costs associated with these requirements.
Audio/ visual, skills lab, blackboard, distance education. Each Class utilizes videos and visual aids to reach the visual learner as well as the auditory learner. The equipment in the skills lab needs to be in good repair at all times to make certain good body mechanics are used by students and faculty to ensure no injuries occur. Blackboard is also used by all 3 terms in the Psychiatric Technician program to give students access to information needed to be successful in the Psychiatric technician Program. Distance Learning can reach more students and allow for larger class capacity and serve lower income students that can not afford to travel.
I. Facilities: Please describe the need for facility modifications within your existing program or the effect that any proposed curricular or instructional changes would have on the existing facilities in the next three years. This statement should include a description of the desired changes, the rationale for the changes, and a rough estimate of the costs.
Although we plan of increasing the number of psychiatric students per year by starting a weekend psychiatric technician program, we will be utilizing the same classroom space as the weekday program.
Clinical sites and contracts with the different area hospitals could change according to the central valley consortium. The Psychiatric Technician program is not part of the consortium, and could be bumped from clinical sites by other programs in the consortium. Currently Psychiatric technician programs have not been accepted into the consortium. A goal for our program is to be accepted into the central valley nursing consortium.
J. Staffing: Please describe the certificated and classified staffing requirements of the existing program, as well as the effect any proposed curricular or instructional changes would have on certificated or classified staffing in the next three years. This statement should include the need to retrain or to add certificated staff for new specialties, for anticipated enrollment increases, or for replacing anticipated retirements. Finally, this statement should include the need to retrain or to add classified support staff for clerical assistance, for maintaining equipment, or for serving as an instructional assistant.
As the class sizes increase and student retention is higher, we will need to increase our faculty to 4 instructors in each term; one theory instructor and 3 clinical instructors per term. The BVNPT regulations for clinical instruction state 1 instructor to 15 students.. We will also need a minimum of two (2) full time and one half- time office staff to efficiently assist increased interest in the program from the public, as well as serve current students enrolled in program, and meet all the required regulations from the six different governing boards. This includes working closely with industry partners and ensuring students who are sponsored by contract obtain necessary supplies and instructional materials to be successful in the program.
K. Articulation and Marketing: Please describe any anticipated changes in the way the unit articulates with feeder high schools and with CSU and UC systems, and other accredited institutions. Please also describe any anticipated changes in the way the department/unit intends to promote its offerings to potential students.
There is a potential for WHC psychiatric technician students to bridge into WHC RN program by 2012.
L. Staff Development Requirements: Please describe the department/unit plans for staff development over the next three years. The requirements may include, but are not limited to, the following areas: improvement of teaching, maintenance of academic and technical knowledge and skills, retraining, development of innovations, affirmative action/diversity, instructional technology, and self-esteem.
Faculty currently participate in the following:
Annual CAPTE conference
Flex/Duty Days
Involvement in Campus Committees
Staff development information at each monthly meeting
Faculty would like to have the following in the future:
Annual Retreats
Guest Speakers
Education Incentive for Faculty
Classified staff take part in the annual Staff Development Day and monthly meetings. Also current instructors are becoming TSI certified and in the future plans to become American Heart Association CPR certified.
M. Vocational Education Requirements: Please explain how the courses in the program address the issues of integration of academic and vocational education, course sequencing, SCANS foundation skills and competencies, and All Aspects of Industry as defined in the statewide plan.
The Psychiatric Technician program requires the students to have fundamental knowledge in Math and English to help them in the skills of computing correct medication dosages and documentation. Some of SCANS necessary job skills are skills taught in the Psychiatric technician program such as critical thinking, skilled technical activities, environmental awareness, evaluating sensory input and many more. The nursing assistant program also teaches skills at a basic level.
The psychiatric technician program must adhere to the Board of Vocational Nursing & Psychiatric Technician Board Regulations at all times. The Nursing Assistant program must adhere to the Public Health Services regulations.
N. Class Scheduling Patterns: Describe the annual scheduling patterns for courses in this program and discuss their impact on students, faculty, and the program. Consider interaction with other instructional programs, use of facilities, and flexibility for students.