Addressing a need to fill vacant health care jobs, UC Health and CityLink Center are partnering on a new training program to help Greater Cincinnati residents become patient care assistants.
The PCA Training Program launched on Aug. 1 with a pilot cohort class of 15 students. The program will train individuals with no prior healthcare experience to become PCAs and provide care for patients in a hospital setting, under the direction of a registered nurse (RN). The program provides instruction both in the classroom and clinical settings. Classes are held daily, and instructors include UC Health and CityLink staff.
At the end of the three-week program, graduates will be offered full-time PCA positions at UC Health’s Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care. The program also provides graduates with the opportunity to pursue certification as a state-tested nurse aide (STNA).
“The pandemic exacerbated an existing national staffing shortage in the healthcare industry, and programs such as these can help address the local need for more healthcare professionals,” said Jimmy Duncan, chief human resources officer for UC Health.
UC Health is Greater Cincinnati’s 12,000-employee adult academic health system, operating the largest hospital – University of Cincinnati Medical Center – by licensed bed count in the region as well as three other inpatient campuses and 65 outpatient locations.
CityLink Center is a nearly decade-old collaborative of nonprofits offering a variety of services to help get people out of poverty.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CityLink assessed which career paths would sustain an ever-changing economy and partnered with UC Health to develop a solution to employment challenges that individuals are facing in our communities. Career paths in the medical field have proven to be the most sustainable coming out of the pandemic.
“This team has been so incredibly pragmatic in developing a robust training that will be a catalyst for our clients starting a successful career in healthcare at Daniel Drake Center,” said Dani Watkins, CityLink’s chief program officer.