Carolinas College of Health Sciences (CCHS) is a public 2-year college located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1990, the college is a subsidiary of the Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) and owned by Carolinas HealthCare System. In 2010 Washington Monthly ranked CCHS the number three 2-year college in the country. Washington Monthly relies heavily on federally collected, standardized data such as graduation rate, student-to-faculty ratios, and student and faculty engagement. The school offers programs in nursing, radiologic technology, radiation therapy, surgical technology, anesthesiology technician, medical laboratory science, and various continuing education programs and workshops. In addition to its traditional educational programs, the college is home to the region's only dual-accredited simulation center. The Center features a patient simulation suite as well as a procedural suite.
History
The historical roots of the college date back to the early 1940s when St. Peter's Hospital in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina, closed and its assets were transferred to the newly formed Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority (The Authority), a quasi-public entity under whose auspices a new hospital was built: Charlotte Memorial Hospital. Within a year Charlotte Memorial Hospital (CMH) opened a 3-year, diploma school of nursing, from which the first students graduated in 1944. Subsequently, the educational mission of CMH expanded, with training programs offered in numerous allied health fields as well as physician residencies and internships. By the late 1960s, community colleges had emerged across the United States, with workforce training the primary mission. To conserve resources and avoid competing with the local community college, The Authority closed the Charlotte Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. The last class graduated in 1967.
By the late 1980s, the name of the hospital had changed to Carolinas Medical Center and The Authority was operating as Carolinas HealthCare System. Charlotte had grown, and with more growth imminent concerns arose over the potential for a shortage of nurses. After a feasibility study showed the need for nurses at the local and state level, Carolinas Medical Center established the CMHA School of Nursing. Degree granting authority was obtained through the Hospital Authorities Act [NC General Stat 113E-23 (a)(31)], and was delegated to the school by the The Authority's Board of Commissioners. The North Carolina Board of Nursing gave initial approval to the school in May 1990, with the first students admitted in the fall of that year. Full approval status was granted by the North Carolina Board of Nursing, and the first class graduated in 1992. In December 1993, CMHA's Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to incorporate the CMHA School of Nursing and to appoint a board of directors for the school. Degree granting authority was delegated to the board of directors.
In July 1996, the board of directors approved the school to do business as Carolinas College of Health Sciences. The Southern Association of College and Schools' Commission on College accredited the school to grant the Associate Degree of Nursing, effective 1996. Carolinas Medical Center's existing Schools of Radiologic Technology and Surgical Technology joined CCHS in August 1996, and the School of Clinical Lab Sciences (Medical Lab Sciences) joined in January 1997. A school of Emergency Medical Sciences operated 2003 - 2008. The first Radiation Therapy class was admitted in 2009. The College's Continuing Education division was formed in the late 90's, and under it are offered Nurse Aide I and Phlebotomy (both begun in 1996), Nurse Aide II (2006) and Anesthesia Technology (2011).
Presidents of the College: (1992 - 2001) Clara Smith; (2001 - 2016) Ellen Tillery Sheppard; (2016 - Present) Timothy Hampton Hopkins.
Academics
Carolinas College of Health Sciences offers educational programs leading to entry-level employment in health care. These include nursing, radiologic technology, radiation therapy, surgical technology, and medical laboratory sciences. The continuing education department offers non-credit education in nurse aide, healing touch, phlebotomy, CPR of various levels, cancer massage, IV therapy, and other focused areas of health care.
CCHS was ranked the number three 2-year college in the country by Washington Monthly in 2010, based on the college's high graduation rate and responses on a national, standardized survey of student engagement. CCHS is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award the Associate of Applied Science degree.
Carolinas Simulation Center
Opened in 2007, by 2011 Carolinas Simulation Center had become the only simulation facility in the region to achieve dual acccreditation; that is, to be both an American College of Surgeons accredited Level I Education Institute and a Society for Simulation in Healthcare-accredited simulation center in the areas of assessment, research, and teaching/education. These prestigious accreditations designate Carolinas Simulation Center as a provider of quality education and a partner in advancing patient safety through educational endeavors.
The Center was established as a multidisciplinary simulation center to meet the training needs of Carolinas Medical Center and its related entities as well as healthcare providers and community groups from across the surrounding region. Being a contributing member of the National League of Nursing (NLN), Simulation Innovation Resource Center (SIRC), International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation for Nursing (INACSL) and a local consortium of simulation usersâ€"Carolinas Healthcare Simulation Alliance-Piedmont (CHSA-P)â€"uniquely positions Carolinas Simulation Center to meet the needs of a wide range of user groups.
One of the center's priorities is educational research for continuous improvement of educational methods.
Faculty provide structured, risk-free, hands-on educational experiences for medical and surgical residents, nursing and nurse anesthesia students, the Area Health Education Center (AHEC), and other allied health personnel. Emphasis is given to curriculum development and implementation on a variety of simulators.
References
External links
- Carolinas College of Health Sciences Official Site
