Select Committee on Health Care Education and Training Addressing the Healthcare Workforce Shortage in Texas High School Education Solutions

Presenter: Jackie Uselton, High School Health Science Teacher Executive Director Texas Health Occupations Association, Inc. Pharmacy Tech, Medical Terminology, Clinical Rotations, CERT Instructor, a FEMA disaster preparedness course HOSA Advisor

Increase numbers of Students in the pipeline.. Certifications that are taught in high school Health Science programs currently include: Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), Emergency Medical Technician (Basic EMT), Phlebotomy, Emergency Care Attendant, Certified Dental Assistant, and many more. If we can get more students certified…

Partnerships with Community Colleges Funding (credits) and policies in place to encourage community colleges to partner with high schools in their service area to provide Dual Credit or Articulated Credit for Health Science certification programs (EMT, CNA, LVN, MA) Points on University applications awarded to those students who complete entry level healthcare career training.

Funding to Health Science programs Funding to the public schools in Texas to supply: needed equipment stipends for supplemental instructors from industry (nurse, EMT, medical director) Certification exam fees for students enrolled in programs with a national or state board exam. Stipend or other compensation to attract teachers away from industry. (some districts do this already)

Easier pathway for Health Science teachers to teach these vital classes: Our hands get tied by the requirements by differing agencies that control the certification processes: Department of Aging and Disability Services oversees the Certified Nurse Aide certification and has a very limited scope to allow teachers the ability to be CNA instructors. Must be an BSRN and have 2 years working in a long term care facility.

Solution to the nursing shortage: Allow Health Science teachers who have been recognized by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and Texas Education Agency (TEA) as competent certified teachers who are also former healthcare providers with a license that is regulated by a state agency to be allowed to teach entry level courses like CNA. Change the rules to allow certified HS teachers to teach CNA after passing the CNA certification. Many districts are already “getting creative” to try to offer this class to their students.

Solutions continued… Many university Nursing programs are requiring the applicants to first complete CNA training to be eligible to apply. Other programs such as Physician Assistant also require either CNA or EMT to apply. Sonography (Ultrasound) Technician programs are also requiring CNA prior to application to the highly competitive program.

Variations on Healthcare Careers CERT, Emergency Preparedness

Teaching Responsibility

Introducing Careers

Hospitals and Clinics are limited on space for high school students Encourage healthcare facilities to host the students enrolled in certification programs EMT is overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services and requires the EMT instructor to have EMT-B certification, a medical director, an EMT coordinator that is approved by them and equipment and lab requirements as well as clinical observation requirements.

HOSA and THOA

Thank you for your time and attention to the important matter. Please feel free to contact me for further discussion