FONTANA, CA – Fontana High School students in the school’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) career technical education (CTE) program handmade more than 100 posters, ranging in sizes and sentiments of gratitude, and treated nurses at the Citrus Nursing Center to ice cream, photo opportunities, and a selection of 90’s music, as they recognized National Nurses Week on May 13 and celebrated the hardworking healthcare professionals of the nursing center.

“This was a wonderful opportunity to show our local nurses how much we appreciate them and to remind our students they are pursuing a noble profession,” Superintendent Miki R. Inbody said. “Fontana Unified is so proud of the entire Fontana High School Certified Nursing Assistant program – from our students to staff – for all their important work and community service.”

FOHI’s CNA program has a long-standing affiliation with Citrus Nursing Center, with students shadowing and learning from Center professionals during four rotation shifts a day, for a total of two hours per rotation. There are 15 students per rotation, earning the hands-on training hours they need to receive certification.

During these rotations, students help patients and residents with numerous personal care needs, including taking vital signs and assisting with feeding and dressing. Students gain hands-on experience to learn the ins and outs of what a CNA does on their way to earning mandatory clinical hours for state certification.

This year, the school’s CNA program achieved outstanding testing pass rates, with a 97% pass rate for overall tests and a 100% pass rate for the skills testing. The written portion consists of a 70-question multiple-choice test and is followed by the practical skills test.

For the skills test, students are asked to complete five tasks they have mastered in a hospital setting, with students verbally and physically demonstrating the random skill selected by the test administrator. Some of the skills they perform include testing blood pressure, correctly putting on and taking off personal protective equipment, feeding a client who might be legally blind or who has paralysis, and bed-related skills such as positioning patients.

The program capacity is 60 students to ensure a 15:1 student-to-instructor ratio, allowing daily face-to-face instruction that includes lectures and field experience. Every year, the program has a waitlist of students who are eager to make a difference in their communities.

“Some jobs come and go but some jobs are roles you hold on to because seeing people’s lives changing is just amazing. I am grateful and honored to work at FOHI in the nursing program,” said George Tiwari, who for the last 10 years has served as the nursing instructor for CNA and the acute care program. “It’s all about helping students realize their dreams and then get there, and help them understand they are capable if they work hard, stay focused, and stay in the race.”

Before joining FOHI, Tiwari worked as an adjunct instructor at Chaffey College but jumped at the new opportunity to help guide high school students. Over the years, Tiwari has experienced many full-circle moments, such as seeing past graduates of the program – who are now registered nurses, vocational nurses, radiologists, ultrasound technicians, and Citrus Nursing Center leaders – return to thank him for the opportunity to achieve their goals.

Tiwari credits the continued success of FOHI’s CNA program to strong collaboration and support within the District, led by Executive Director of College, Career, and Economic Development Hillary Wolfe, Fontana High Assistant Principal Marissa Beitler, and the rest of the school’s administrative and CTE team.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

FUSD_NURSES1: Fontana High School students in the school’s Certified Nursing Assistant career technical education program celebrated National Nurses Week by delivering more than 100 posters at the nearby Citrus Nursing Center, honoring the center’s hardworking healthcare professionals on May 13.

FUSD_NURSES2: Fontana High School’s Certified Nursing Assistant career technical education pathway achieved outstanding test results this school year, achieving a 97% pass rate for overall tests and a 100% pass rate for the skills testing.