Cutting the ribbon are L-R: Medical Assisting Instructor Nancy Smith, Adult Director Chris Fletcher, Medical Assisting Student Lassondra Armstrong, Superintendent John Nolan, and JVS Board President Kathryn Karpus.

November 10, 2009 -- The Lorain County JVS recently completed construction on a new multi-room Medical Technology Lab for the school's Adult Career Center.

"The impetus behind the new lab is our commitment to training workers for the healthcare industry in Northeast Ohio," stated JVS Superintendent John Nolan.

"The healthcare programs offered by the Adult Career Center are always at or near full enrollment," stated Adult Director Chris Fletcher, the administrator responsible for overseeing the project. "This new lab space has allowed us to expand our course offerings filling a great need for medical training in our county."

The new Medical Technology Lab is used by adult students from 9am-10pm four days a week, and on Fridays until 3pm. Programs currently being delivered in the new surroundings include: Certified Medical Assisting, Medical Office, Phlebotomy Technician and State Tested Nurse Aide (STNA).

Future plans include adding both Acute Dialysis and Electronic Medical Records to the menu of programs offered in the new facility. "Our business partners and advisory committee members have encouraged us to add these courses," affirmed Fletcher. "There is a growing need for trained employees in these two areas and government stimulus money is expected to be available soon to help assist with training costs in the electronic medical records area."

The expanded space will also allow the JVS Adult Career Center to host the STNA Certification test on site. "In prior years, our students had to find a testing site at another area facility like a nursing home," said Fletcher.

The 2,800 square foot area has several different training rooms to replicate a variety of the healthcare environments students might experience once they enter the world of work. These rooms include a semi-private hospital room, two adult patient exam rooms, a pediatric exam room, a phlebotomy blood draw room, a medical lab, and a medical records/office area. Additionally, there is a large group lecture area.

"The Medical Technology Lab was furnished with authentic equipment that is used in medical facilities and training models," stated Fletcher. "Becoming familiar with the same equipment they will be using when they enter the workforce makes a substantial difference in a student's level of preparedness and confidence upon program completion."

Some of this equipment includes an EKG Machine, spirometer, nurse call systems, crash cart, surgical scrub sink, suction canisters, x-ray reader, biohazard containers, sphygmomanometer, and oxygen outlet and flow meter.

"The lab is also equipped with 'SimMan®', one of the most technologically advanced patient simulators on the market," stated Fletcher. "The instructors can program this robotic patient for a variety of scenarios to help students practice emergency medical treatments like heart attacks and strokes."

"SimMan® challenges students' clinical and decision making skills during very realistic situations," continued Fletcher.
"Another state-of-the-art simulator in the lab is the Virtual Phlebotomy Unit or 'fake arm' as the students like to call it," continued Fletcher. "This simulator helps students practice the motor skills needed to access veins and draw blood. The unit comes with software to help teach students proper specimen handling, mixing and tube labeling as well."