‘Fabulous Five’ earn state CNA licenses
GENTRY — Five students in the Northwest Arkansas Community College early college experience certified nurse aide and personal care assistant classes at Gentry High School have passed their state licensing examinations and earned their state CNA licenses.
“The Fabulous Five,” as nicknamed by their instructor, include Decatur senior Ithzel Martinez, Gentry senior Josie Newsom, and Gentry juniors Cora Bass, Ambry Smith and Dylan Her. They took their two-part state licensing exams over the last two weeks and all have passed, making them licensed CNAs in the state of Arkansas and eligible for employment in nursing homes, hospitals and medical clinics.
The state examination consists of a written knowledge-based examination and a skills test. The knowledge-based exam is a testing of a student’s knowledge regarding basic medical conditions, skills, terminology and procedures. The skills test requires students to perform healthcarerelated skills in the manner prescribed by the Arkansas Office of Long Term Care and can result in failure if a single skill is not performed correctly.
State testing is administered by D&S Headmaster and the test examiner commended the Gentry students, saying they were the best she has tested in the state.
To qualify to take the exams and obtain licensure as a CNA, students are required to take and pass specialized training taught by a licensed physician or nurse with long-term care experience. Students are taught a curriculum specified by the Office of Long Term Care and are taught the knowledge and trained in the skills needed for work in licensed long-term care facilities in the state.
In addition to the firstsemester CNA training, the students listed above are enrolled in a second semester of training as personal care assistants, an additional level of training making it possible for them to work as CNAs in hospitals and medical clinics.
Yolonda “Lonnie” Moll, high school nurse and a licensed practical nurse with decades of experience in the field of long-term care and as a CNA/PCA instructor and program manager, teaches the two classes at Gentry High School, giving local high school students the opportunity to become licensed CNAs and obtain work in the healthcare field and also to pursue further training in the medical field.
Many nursing schools require prospective students to first be trained and licensed CNAs before admission to nursing programs, Moll said, explaining that the CNA program is a great way for students interested in pursuing a medical career to take a big first step and gain valuable experience, as well as a means to support themselves as they pursue more advanced training.
She said high school students interested in pursuing a career in medicine or health sciences would be wise to take advantage of the CNA and PCA training programs offered at Gentry High School through cooperation between the high school and NWACC. She expressed hopes that the program could also be expanded to offer training for adults over the summer months or in evening classes throughout the year.
And the students making up “The Fabulous Five” have plans to further their education and training in the medical field. Josie Newsom says she plans to further her nursing career upon graduation and is considering becoming a dental hygienist. Cora Bass says she wants to become a registered nurse and work in geriatrics. Ambry Smith hopes to continue her studies and become a physician. Ithzel Martinez says she wants to study nursing. Dylan Her hopes to become an RN and would like to be able to travel to Japan and practice nursing there.
These five students have achieved a major milestone in their lives and are poised to achieve more in the future as they pursue their dreams to work and serve others in the medical field.