Adrift McCann LPN Program Finds New Home With BMC
 The nursing program at McCann Technical School will move back to the campus of BMC North for the school year beginning in January. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Berkshire Medical Center has stepped in to save the licensed practical nursing program at McCann Technical School.
The post-high school program will move back into space it was forced to precipitously exit when North Adams Regional Hospital went bankrupt in March.
"It is absolutely fabulous," said James Brosnan, superintendent of Northern Berkshire Vocational School District, adding with a laugh, "It lowered my blood pressure by 20 points."
The program was facing termination without dedicated space for classrooms, a lab facility with beds, and surgical suites. The plan to build an addition to the Hodges Cross Road school had to be cut when the cost came over estimate.
Students of this year's class are currently doing their clinical work at offsite-facilities but there was no place for the incoming class in January.
With Berkshire Medical Center acquiring the assets of Northern Berkshire Healthcare, including the hospital and Doctors Building, earlier this month, the school was able to make an agreement to take over its old rooms in what is now the Northern Berkshire Campus of Berkshire Medical Center.
"Working with [BHS President and CEO] Dave Phelps and [Chief Financial Officer] Darlene Rodowicz is a joy," said Brosnan on Thursday. "The rest of their team is so professional.
"Everything just meshed."
The LPN program was reinstated after a nearly 20-year absence at McCann in 2006, made possible in large part because of the collaboration with North Adams Regional Hospital. The program can accept 25 students; last year's class was the largest so far with 23 graduates.
Brosnan said his talks with Berkshire Health System officials were fruitful because they had the same attitudes toward education and community collaboration.
"They know how valuable LPNs are and we use their facilities for clinical work — Berkshire Medical Center, Williamstown Commons, Hillcrest," he said. "Now we have an even stronger connection working here."
In a statement, BHS noted the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics is expecting the need for LPNs to increase by 21 percent through 2018. This is largely because of the long-term care needs of a growing elderly population and the general increase in demand for health-care services.
"It's important that residents of North Berkshire have continued access to the career opportunities this program offers," Phelps said in the statement. "Berkshire Health Systems is proud to partner with McCann Technical School to ensure that this outstanding educational program moves forward uninterrupted."
Brosnan some modifications will be made to the educational spaces, including the new systems installed by BMC. The school is now working with the facilities crew at BMC North to get things functional.
The 10-month evening program begins in January and graduates in December. It provides 1,080 hours of instruction, consisting of a minimum of 945 in nursing courses and at least 540 hours of clinical experience at externship sites.
"Without this, it was impossible to do," Brosnan said. "Once the building was prohibitive, we were out of business."
Tags: BMC, BMC North, LPN, McCann,
