ILION – A generous grant from the Slocum-Dickson Foundation has allowed the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program to upgrade its nursing labs to more accurately simulate an acute care setting at a time when skilled nurses are in demand.
The lab improvements are essential because licensed practical nurses are now being reintroduced to the acute care hospital setting – including at local healthcare facilities such as Rome Hospital, Little Falls Hospital and the Bassett Healthcare Network, Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Coordinator Sara Nicolette said.
“We simulate acute care in our labs to practice the nursing process and push students to really test out their critical thinking skills,” Nicolette said. “We are thankful to the Slocum-Dickson Foundation for this very important improvement to our lab equipment.”
The Slocum-Dickson Foundation grant for the Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program allowed the program to purchase five new beds, a sit-to-stand lift, two feeding tube pumps and one IV pump. The two adult nursing labs at the Herkimer BOCES Remington Educational Complex in Ilion are used for the licensed practical nursing programs and certified nursing assistant courses.
Nicolette said Herkimer BOCES applied for the grant in March 2020, but due to COVID-19 and other factors, the application was put on hold. That made it a surprise when the grant was received in June 2021, leading to Herkimer BOCES recently purchasing the equipment.
“It was totally unexpected but much appreciated,” Nicolette said.
Herkimer BOCES also appreciates support from Upstate HomeCare, which provided Herkimer BOCES with generous prices on equipment and donated additional equipment. The nursing program purchased one IV pump, but as Nicolette opened the boxes from Upstate HomeCare, she discovered that Upstate HomeCare gave Herkimer BOCES a dozen IV pumps along with the tubing.
“We can really simulate an acute care setting now,” Nicolette said.
In addition to acute care settings, LPNs also continue to work in clinic settings, home care dialysis and geriatric home care settings to name a few, Nicolette said.
“In this day of growing nursing shortages, practical nursing programs remain the quickest way to begin the nursing ladder,” Nicolette said. “Herkimer BOCES offers a 12-month full-time program or 20-month part-time day or evening programs.”
For information about the Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program, visit www.herkimer-boces.org and click on the “LPN Program” button on the homepage or visit www.facebook.com/HerkimerBOCESLPN.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program full-time students (from left) Jennifer Juliano and Dawn Williams practice using a sit-to-stand lift with Jennie Wick. The sit-to-stand lift was one of several upgrades to the Herkimer BOCES nursing labs purchased through a grant from the Slocum-Dickson Foundation. Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Coordinator Sara Nicolette summarized the nursing school situations for the three licensed practical nursing students. Juliano is going through the program for retraining, and Williams is pursuing a dream. Wick is going through the program with her husband, Forrest Wick, and is pregnant with their daughter, Charlotte, who is due in November. Jennie and Forrest Wick are both certified nursing assistants sponsored by Valley Health Services to become LPNs through Herkimer BOCES. For info about the Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program, visit www.herkimer-boces.org/lpn or www.facebook.com/HerkimerBOCESLPN.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program full-time students (from left) Dawn Williams and Jennie Wick practice using a mannequin in one of the five new beds purchased for the nursing labs through a grant from the Slocum-Dickson Foundation. Herkimer BOCES was also able to use the grant to purchase a sit-to-stand lift, two feeding tube pumps and an IV pump.
For info about the Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program, visit www.herkimer-boces.org/lpn or www.facebook.com/HerkimerBOCESLPN.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program full-time students (from left) Dawn Williams and Jennie Wick practice using a mannequin in one of the five new beds purchased for the nursing labs through a grant from the Slocum-Dickson Foundation. Herkimer BOCES was also able to use the grant to purchase a sit-to-stand lift, two feeding tube pumps and an IV pump. For info about the Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program, visit www.herkimer-boces.org/lpn or www.facebook.com/HerkimerBOCESLPN.
Two of the five new beds that the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program was able to purchase through a grant from the Slocum-Dickson Foundation are pictured here. Herkimer BOCES was also able to use the grant to purchase a sit-to-stand lift, two feeding tube pumps and an IV pump. For info about the Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program, visit www.herkimer-boces.org/lpn or www.facebook.com/HerkimerBOCESLPN.