Benedictine Winona partners with Saint Mary’s University to enhance CNA and CPR training

Benedictine and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota are pleased to announce a new partnership that will allow Benedictine Living Community-Winona use of the Sandra Adduci Nursing Skills Lab on the Winona Campus to train certified nursing assistants and offer CPR certification courses.

For more than 30 years, Benedictine Living Community-Winona has offered a certified nursing assistant program. The program, which has graduated just over 6,000 students, offers an instructor-led track with 75 hours of class completed in person with a registered nursing instructor and a blended learning option with 40 hours of class completed independently by the student online and the remaining required hours completed in person with an instructor.

The first certified nursing assistant training program that will use the nursing lab will begin on Oct. 9. The courses offered through Benedictine are open to the general public and members of the Saint Mary’s community. The courses offer flexibility for working students to take part, with evening and weekend classes available.

“We are excited to collaborate with Saint Mary’s University and provide an excellent educational experience for those looking to enter into the nursing field beginning with certified nursing assistant training,” said Carol Ehlinger, executive director of Benedictine Living Community-Winona. “Our focus is to continue the hands-on experience of learning and developing nurses with our mission in mind.”

The Sandra Adduci Nursing Skills Lab offers an advanced nursing suite, which includes a clinical simulation lab that provides students with a safe, yet hands-on learning experience with cutting-edge simulated technology that allows them a true taste of a variety of trauma, operating room, and in-patient settings. Students going through the certified nursing assistant courses will have access to the use of hospital beds, patient manikins, and other top-notch training technology.

“With this agreement, the Saint Mary’s nursing suite is no longer just an invaluable resource for our nursing students, but a resource for the entire Winona community,” said Sister Agnes Mary Graves, RSM, DNP, director of the nursing program at Saint Mary’s. “As a Lasallian Catholic institution, we’re also pleased to partner with a Catholic health care organization like Benedictine, which understands the importance of comprehensive health care, which means looking at the whole person, body, soul, and mind.”

For additional information about classes or tuition reimbursement options, please contact Kim Nahrgang at 507-205-6200, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. or via email at kimberly.nahrgang@benedictineliving.org.