Congratulations to the first graduates of the OnTrack™ nursing assistant certification program. Six candidates completed the 75-hour curriculum in 10 days and graduated on May 30, 2020. They are ready to take their Minnesota state certification test this month, launching their careers as a Resident Assistant (RA), the PHS title for a certified nursing assistant.
The participants (pictured from left) in the class are:
Mary Springer, RN, PHS OnTrack Program Coordinator and Instructor
Jaquiline Mulongo, Boutwells Landing
Tom Metobo, Boutwells Landing
Barb Sager, RN, PHS OnTrack Instructor
Jackie Morgan, Boutwells Landing
Reginald Haney, Norris Square
Kimberly Vang. Norris Square
Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS) is among the first senior living providers in Minnesota to offer OnTrack, which is approved by the Minnesota Department of Health. This flexible program, designed exclusively for nursing assistants in aging services, can be completed in a matter of weeks. It provides graduates with the skills they need to pass the state exam and pursue a rewarding career with PHS as an RA.
OnTrack is different from other nursing assistant training programs set in a traditional classroom. Students access the curriculum through online, interactive training modules to complete 35 hours of education via online training. Then they complete 24 hours of hands-on training in a Skills Lab and 16 hours of resident care experience at a PHS community. The program focuses on skills and knowledge to provide direct and supportive care to those residing in PHS senior living communities and/or served through Optage, the home and community-based service division.
Mary Springer, RN, PHS Education Manager, said, “The students were excited about the opportunity to participate in the program. They were engaged and eager to start their careers working as a resident assistant for PHS.” Mary serves as the PHS OnTrack Program Coordinator and as one of its instructors.
OnTrack helps address one of the greatest workforce challenges in aging services: filling open nursing assistant positions. PHS communities stand ready to hire over 300 RAs. “OnTrack accelerates our efforts to recruit, develop and retain quality staff who will make valuable contributions to our team and provide skilled, compassionate care to the people we serve,” Mary explained. “The program is interactive and person-centered, framed with passionate messages and inspiration for working in the field of aging services,” she said.
OnTrack curriculum meets certification requirements in Minnesota for nursing assistants and is developed and updated to meet current industry standards and best practices. Aging services providers came together to contribute to this meaningful curriculum, ensuring that it meets the needs of older adults today.
OnTrack is owned by LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation and powered by EduCare. PHS is offering OnTrack to current and prospective employees and will pay for the entire cost of the training program. Sessions start every other week.
You can touch people’s lives and enrich yours by joining the PHS caregiving team. Jump-start your career and apply today! To learn more about OnTrack, visit
www.preshomes.org/careers/caregiver-roles.