GNTC students participate in lab sessions
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Standing outside of Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) Building H on the Floyd County Campus in Rome, a group of about six Medical Assisting students stand six-feet apart as they practice the proper procedure for taking on and off their personal protective equipment (PPE).
While it may seem simple, if done improperly it could lead to contamination said Sharon Vaughan, clinical coordinator and instructor for GNTC's Medical Assisting program. The group of students are one of several Vaughan, and the other Medical Assisting instructors, see throughout the week as students finish spring and summer semester requirements for the program.
“We have been working since May 18 to make sure we make up for the time we lost in the spring,” Vaughan said. “Fortunately, we got the more intensive labs done at the beginning of the semester.”
To ensure a safe lab experience, GNTC students have been practicing social distancing, meeting in small groups with instructors and wearing a mask at all times while in the building or when in close proximity to other students while on campus.
Students on the Walker County Campus (WCC) have been meeting in groups of six and stand on marked spots that have been spaced out while in their labs. According to Martha Smith, assistant dean of Health Technologies and instructor of Medical Assisting, the students on the WCC have been working on phlebotomy as well as medical techniques on manikins.
“During the labs I ensured they were properly gloved, masked, face shielded and gowned,” Smith said. “Currently, my students are at their clinical sites and I have been making sure I visit each one to check up on them.”
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, students are still getting externships through local medical partners. The PPE training held outside of Building H was part of the training Floyd Medical Center (FMC) required before the students began their externship Vaughan explained. FMC provided GNTC’s Medical Assisting program with the materials needed for the training. Other labs the Medical Assisting students have been taking includes spirometry testing, electrocardiography and vision tests.
According to Vaughan, all of the Medical Assisting students finishing the program this summer are on track to graduate despite COVID-related delays. Students who began the Medical Assisting program in fall of 2019 will be eligible to walk in the Aug. 11, drive-thru graduation at the Floyd County Campus.
“We already had an online presence and expanded that with video lectures and virtual forums,” Vaughan said. “Once it was safe to meet again we made sure our students did not miss out on the hands-on portion of the course. We put our heads together and made sure they got everything out of the Medical Assisting program.”
Georgia Northwestern Technical College offers an associate of applied science degree and diploma in Medical Assisting at the Floyd County and Walker County campuses. For more information about the Medical Assisting program, contact us at (866) 983-4682, Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of Northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma, or a certificate in business, health, industrial, or public service career paths. This past year, 12,454 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 7,730 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 4,724 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.
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