Northcentral Technical College (NTC) first began offering a nursing program in 1969, and several graduates from the second and third classes recently returned to campus to see all that had changed over the past 50 years. Patti Rossman, Marlin Kalafice and Susan Ellerman graduated from the program in 1972, and Heidi Duley graduated in 1973.  

They toured the Center for Health Sciences, a building that did not exist during their schooling days. Their first stop on the tour was the classrooms, which are designed to facilitate interaction between students. Learning is very hands on and interactive and continues to evolve as technology advances.  

"All the medical technology, add 50 years to what we learned,” Patti said. “We can only imagine.”  

Their next stop on the tour was the skills lab. The skills lab is equipped with a variety of tools and technology for students to practice and improve their techniques. The ladies were all in awe of the advancement in the technology available to students to help them learn and improve.  

The group then walked through the wing of the Center for Health Sciences designed to replicate a hospital. There are rooms for patients, medical charts and medications, and there are simulators that serve as patients. The simulators allow students to practice running a full code, starting IVs, delivering a baby and so much more.  

“The simulators enhance what they get in clinicals because you won’t see all scenarios in clinicals,” said Dr. Angela Roesler, Dean of Health and Community Services. “They are able to practice those low frequency, high risk events.”  

During their time at NTC, current nursing students run the wing as if it were a hospital. They are assigned two patients each and are responsible for assessing the patients to determine what is wrong with them and work through the scenario. Instructors can observe the students as they run the simulation and make adjustments.  

“We try to emulate real scenarios as much as we can to give students that exposure,” Dr. Roesler said. “There isn’t anyone else – you are the nurse – what are you going to do? We try to train them for that right from the beginning.”  

The ladies asked if students practice reading and filling out patient charts, and they learned that NTC has a software system that allows for the creation of electronic medical records. Instructors can create a chart that includes things such as medication recommendations, doctor’s and nurses’ notes, CT results, labs and more.  

“Years back, all we had was paper and a pencil,” Marlin joked.  

Next up, the group had the opportunity to check out the immersive reality room, in which they can create any clinical environment they want using 360-degree video, including the floor and ceiling. Eventually, the goal is to recreate the exact rooms in the facilities where students will do their clinicals to help them become familiar with the environment before ever stepping inside.  

“It’s really only limited by your imagination,” Dr. Roesler said.  

The ladies talked about taking their boards to become licensed nurses, and Heidi shared a memory that after they took their boards, they had a plan to charter a bus to take them to another testing site because they were all certain they had failed. They all passed, and the planned trip proved unnecessary, but the fear is relatable to most.  

Last year, NTC’s nursing students attained an impressive 99% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), but Dr. Roesler said she has never talked to a student after taking their boards who thought they had passed. No matter how much things change, it seems some things will always stay the same. 

To learn more about NTC’s Nursing Associate Degree program, visit: www.ntc.edu/academics-training/programs/all/associate-degree/nursing.