Riverland helps train Minnesota National Guard emergency CNA

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(ABC 6 News) – With the spread of the new omicron variant as well as COVID-19 cases overall expected to increase due to the holidays, drastic measures are being taken to help shortages in long-term care facilities.

Riverland Community College created an eight-day course for members of the Minnesota National Guard to become certified nursing assistants.

Upon passing the course, the members will be placed in different facilities across the state. Despite the creation of the course, some challenges do lie ahead.

Dr. Kara De La Fosse, who teaches the course, had thoughts on one of the biggest challenges troops will likely face. "I think one of the biggest challenges that the troops are gonna have to contend with is just applying what was taught over eight days into real-life settings."

Different facilities will have different demands due to various factors such as personnel needed and amount of patients. Bottom line is, the troops have been very cooperative.

Dr. Kara De La Fosse agrees. "Most of these individuals do not have a background in health science, so it is commendable that they are willing to take on this task, and we just wanted to support them in any aspect we were able to to help them relieve some of the overextended healthcare workers that are always trying to pick up those shortages."

There are sixteen colleges in the state of Minnesota that are going to be hosting this course, including Riverland Community College right behind me (which will have ten more members of the Minnesota National Guard starting next week in Owatonna).