Scrubs Academy Moves Into New Classrooms

ST. CLOUD ( WJON News) - The Scrubs Academy is moving into a new space, and hosting an open house Thursday, September 29th.

Founded in 2017, the Scrubs Academy provides training to current employees and prospective students looking to pass the Minnesota CNA test-out. The program’s curriculum meets the state regulations for CNA training.

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Program Director Shannon Haws says the academy focuses on extensive hands-on training.

This is called “supervised practical training” that happens in the lab. It's hands-on skills engaging with the instructor and with the other students. We have mannequins, and you're doing demonstrations with students as well.

The training is led by a registered nurse. Haws says the new facility was built as a community resource, as several area health care facilities send new employees to the academy to prepare for the test-out. With that in mind, she says it’s also a safe space for employers.

We get calls all the time and (other employers) just want five minutes in front of these students. I just have to say “No, I hear you and you can tell me about your hiring and if I have anybody independently that is looking for career support and career searching”, but we don't allow anybody to come into this space because I want to be very respectful of the facilities that we partner with that their students are here to gain certification and then are going to go back to their facility and work.

For newcomers looking to gain entry into the medical field, a federal mandate order all Medicare healthcare facilities to offer training reimbursement. Haws says the academy is able to help students through that process.

It's a federal requirement that Medicare nursing homes and long-term care facilities have a reimbursement program. So if they get a job as a CNA, they're going to meet with the HR department and talk about what that reimbursement program is. Generally speaking, you need to work as a CNA and after 90 days, we're going to reimburse you fully for the cost of the course, the cost of the test out, all the books, and everything is included.

The open house is Thursday, September 29th, at 3735 Roosevelt Road from 4:00 until 8:00. Students and area medical employers can tour the new classrooms, get more information on the program, and enjoy music and refreshments.