Ensuring a high level of patient care is a talent and a skill. Nurses spend hours with individual patients as they are going through their most vulnerable times. Often nurses and caregivers spend more time by a patient’s side than their own families. These dedicated health care professionals serve those who require long-term or hospice care. They provide vital services, reassuring patients and families who care about them.

Iowa Valley has played a part in educating many of the caregivers working in local facilities. In addition to the medical assisting and nursing degrees offered by Marshalltown Community College and Ellsworth Community College, we offer short term career training for people looking to enter or already working in long-term care facilities through our Continuing Education division. Continuing ed classes are available in the areas of medication aid, nurse aid, pharmacy and many others.

The students who go through these courses may take different career tracks, but they all have one thing in common – they are passionate about ensuring the patients in their care receive the highest level of service possible. They use what they learn in our classrooms to help a patient live more comfortably, with less pain. They all have a singular focus: helping their patients and their families navigate their healthcare issue and ensure comfort and peace.

This job is never more challenging than assisting those facing hospice and end-of-life situations. Truly exceptional people go into hospice nursing, looking to make a difference. Hospice nurses help provide family caregivers with much-needed respite. Caregiving demands a great deal of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual effort.

We applaud the role they play, and we welcome the opportunity to say thank you to the men and women who are the caregivers. We salute them, and appreciate the role they play.

If this is a role you are drawn to, we would like to give you an opportunity to train with us. We have classes starting soon, and we would love to be a part of your success. Visit our website www.IowaValley.com or give us a call at 641-752-4645 or 1-800-284-4823 to learn more.

——

Jon Nunez is the director of Programming and Operations

for Iowa Valley Continuing Education.