Southwestern Michigan College will host two informational forums about nursing and health care, from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, and from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16.
The events are free and open to the public. No RVSP is required.
Presenters include Rebecca Jellison, SMC dean of nursing and health services and president of the Michigan Council of Nursing Education Administrators; Medical Assisting Professor Shelley Todd; and Health Information Professor Julie Zabriskie.
Financial aid representatives will also be on hand to answer questions.
For those specifically interested in nursing, the sessions cover program requirements, the application process, scholarships and what the first semester typically looks like.
SMC offers associate degrees in fire science, medical assisting and health information technology — coding, filing, securing and sharing medical records.
While nurses on the floor attend to patients’ physical needs, registered health information technicians behind the scenes take care of documentation so information is properly secured and stored so insurance companies to receive correct information to pay bills.
Medical assistants perform routine administrative and clinical tasks to keep physicians’ offices and clinics running smoothly.
Medical assistants answer telephones, greet patients, schedule appointments, handle insurance and billing and perform basic bookkeeping.
Clinical duties vary, but include taking medical histories, recording vital signs, explaining treatments to patients and preparing them for procedures.
They may also collect and prepare laboratory specimens or perform basic lab tests.
They instruct patients about medication, prepare and administer medication, take electrocardiograms and perform numerous other clinical duties.
SMC offers emergency medical technician, fire science, medical assisting-clinical and medical assisting-office certificates.
Three specialty credentials are available for electrocardiogram technician, nursing assistant and phlebotomy.
The six-week ECG program teaches how to place electrodes for readouts checking heart electrical activity.
Phlebotomists draw blood and take specimens to the laboratory to prepare for testing.
CNAs help patients under the supervision of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse in hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities.
SMC breaks ground this spring on a $9.6-million expansion to its nursing and health education facility, more than doubling its size for fall 2018.