Imagine a world where finding a qualified healthcare professional feels like searching for a unicorn. That's the stark reality we face if we don't address the looming healthcare workforce shortage. By 2026, the U.S. healthcare workforce faces a gap of 3.2 million direct care professionals.
Solving this problem will require creativity and partnership as we’ve never seen before. But amidst this challenge, there's always hope. It shines in the classrooms of dedicated educators, in the innovative programs bridging the gap between education and careers, and in the unwavering commitment of trusted certification and learning solution providers like us, NHA.
Here are three ways that partnering with NHA will help you, your students and the healthcare industry as a whole.
1. Promote Early Awareness & Entry into Healthcare Careers with Provisional Certification
This innovative program bridges the gap between high school training and full certification, offering educators like you a powerful tool to boost student achievement and career readiness.
Here's how Provisional Certifications benefit both you and your students:
- Increased student engagement: Provisional certifications ignite student passion for healthcare, giving them a tangible goal to strive for and a competitive edge in college admissions.
- Early talent identification and targeted guidance: Spot healthcare stars early and guide them to success with provisional or full certification.
- Smoother transition to full certification: Provisional certifications act as stepping-stones between classroom learning and professional practice. This makes the post-graduation path to full certification smoother, more efficient, and less intimidating for students. The only thing needed to progress from Provisional Certification to Full Certification is proof of High School graduation.
- Informed career exploration and validation: Provisional certifications allow students to gain valuable hands-on experience and real-world exposure to healthcare careers before fully committing to a specific path.
Designed for Today’s Learners
NHA's Provisional Certifications are designed to be flexible and accessible for diverse learning styles and program structures. The process is straightforward, and resources are readily available to support both educators and students in navigating the requirements.
Provisional Certification is available in any of the following fields:
- Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
- Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)
- Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)
- EKG Technician (CET)
- Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS)
- Medical Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS)
- Patient Care Tech/Assistant (CPCT/A)
Note: Provisional Certifications are not available to candidates sitting for the ExCPT Pharmacy Technician Certification as they can sit for the exam 60 days before graduation.
To learn more, follow this link to page 10 of our NHA Candidate Handbook.
2. Nurturing Talent Through Essential Skills Development and Education
Imagine your students, brimming with confidence, stepping into healthcare careers, not just technically skilled, but also exemplifying the professional skills the industry needs. Communication, teamwork, professionalism. That’s what a partnership between CTE and NHA can do.
Jessica Langley-Loep, NHA's Executive Director of Health Science Education, knows the drill. She emphasizes that technical expertise only tells half the story. Today's healthcare professionals need the interpersonal and leadership qualities that the industry calls for.
In CTE's hands-on training, students aren't just memorizing facts, they're practicing them, learning to collaborate under pressure and demonstrate professionalism every step of the way.
NHA’s industry-recognized, accredited certifications validate your student’s knowledge, while our comprehensive learning resources – a potent blend of simulations, lab exercises, and real-world scenarios – polish their skills and boost their confidence.
By collaborating, CTE and NHA become a powerhouse, transforming students into career-ready graduates who:
- Navigate complex ethical dilemmas
- Engage with patients and healthcare teams with empathy and skill
- Communicate effectively with patients and colleagues
- Possess the professionalism that inspires trust and respect
Partner with NHA and discover the magic of CTE + NHA: a formula for exceptional healthcare professionals.
3. Performance Analytics Empower Educators
Say goodbye to the grind of endless grading and reports. NHA's Performance Analytics puts powerful data insights at your fingertips, letting you tailor each student's healthcare learning path for success. Ditch the one-size-fits-all approach and unlock individualized learning potential.
With such powerful data, you can easily identify at-risk students, pinpoint knowledge gaps, and tailor interventions with laser precision. NHA resources adapt to individual needs, fueling continuous improvement, one student at a time.
NHA's Performance Analytics resources deliver:
- Streamlined assessments and grading: Reclaim precious time for personalized guidance and mentorship.
- Actionable insights: Identify strengths and weaknesses, crafting targeted interventions for maximum impact.
- Personalized learning pathways: Bridge knowledge gaps, ignite curiosity and cultivate a thirst for healthcare careers.
- Continuous improvement: Monitor progress, celebrate milestones, and guide students toward mastery.
While the healthcare shortage demands numerous solutions, a monumental new initiative emerges as a beacon of hope for significant change. This ambitious program directly addresses the twin challenges of workforce scarcity and the overwhelming burden of student debt, which often deters aspiring healthcare professionals.
Hope in Bloomberg Philanthropies
Forget college debt and career uncertainty. Imagine graduating high school with in-demand healthcare skills, a guaranteed job offer, and a family-sustaining wage. That’s the reality Bloomberg Philanthropies is creating with a $250 million initiative launching 10 innovative healthcare-focused high schools across the U.S.
These schools may end up being game-changers. Here are a few of the highlights:
- Urban and rural locations
- No college debt accumulated
- Skilled to succeed on day one
This approach to the workforce shortage is exciting and we at NHA are excited to continue following this developing story.
Invite NHA Into Your Classroom
The future of healthcare isn't waiting for us to catch up; it's being built right now, in classrooms like yours. Learn more and get started by scheduling a free consultation with one of our experienced CTE advisors. Together, we can inspire tomorrow’s healthcare workforce using today’s proven technology.
