New Programs
Building new space will allow the college to provide additional opportunities for residents of Greene and surrounding counties to earn college degrees and certificates. The college’s current programs in nursing, respiratory care and the police academy are at their maximum enrollment due to space limitations. The only way to grow programs and add new ones is to create new labs and classroom space. Below are programs that will be added or expanded at the Greeneville/Greene County Campus as a result of the new space.
Occupational Therapist Assistant
Walters State is proposing a new Associate of Applied Science Degree in Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA). There is a projected national increase in occupational therapist assistant jobs of over 30% by 2018, based on 2009 data as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OTAs generally work in rehabilitation, home health, long-term care, and educational settings.
Physical Therapist Assistant
Walters State is planning to expand its current Associate of Applied Science degree program in Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) to the Greeneville/Greene County Campus. There are no PTA programs in Tennessee east of Morristown. There is a projected state increase in physical therapist assistant jobs of over 30% by 2018, based on 2009 data as reported in Allied Health in Tennessee: A Supply and Demand Study 2010 (MTSU Center for Health and Human Services). The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a national increase of 35%. PTAs generally work in rehabilitation, home health, long-term care, acute care, and educational settings. This program and the proposed new OTA program will complement each other and act as an attractor for students.
Pre-Allied Health Embedded Certificate
The addition of new allied health degree programs and an embedded certificate in allied health support the Tennessee Board of Regents 2010-2015 strategic plan, Charting the Course. This embedded certificate in allied health will support each of the four allied health programs that will reside on the Greeneville/Greene County campus: occupational therapist assistant; physical therapist assistant; nursing, and respiratory care.
Fire Science
The expansion of the Associate of Applied Science degree in Fire Science to the Greeneville/Greene County Campus will allow this program to run in a cohort format much like the college’s police academy. Expansion of the Fire Science program to Greeneville is in direct response to regional requests. Nationwide the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 18% increase in the employment of firefighting and prevention workers by the year 2018. Firefighting and prevention workers are expected to fill a number of employment positions. They generally work in governmental agencies or private agencies under contract with local, state or federal governments. The addition of this program will complement the current police academy.
Regional Law Enforcement Academy
Through the campus enhancement plan, more cadets will be trained at the Walters State Regional Law Enforcement Academy. Currently, academy enrollment is space limited. The Walters State Regional Law Enforcement Academy has more applications for students and current employees of agencies to attend each academy than the college is able to serve. By expanding the amount of space dedicated to the cohort-based academy, the college will be able to train 50% more POST-certified officers for the state.
Art
The Greene County community has requested an expansion of the Associate of Arts degree in Art to the Greeneville/Greene County Campus. Due to community requests, this program is expected to produce more university parallel graduates in this region.
You have no strict requirements regarding support work and personal care. You will be provided with information about a client’s needs before you apply to work with them.
An allied health assistant’s primary role is to help build a client’s capacity. This said, sometimes your role and responsibilities won’t appear ‘therapeutic’, e.g helping a client with an intellectual disability to get ready for school. However, it is important to remember that there are strategies you can use to help organise their thoughts and executive planning to increase your client’s independence.
When supporting a client in everyday tasks, remember to keep a client’s goals in mind and implement therapy strategies where appropriate. You can ask the client’s allied health professional to provide guidance on how to do this.
It’s a good idea to chat about any non-therapeutic work that the client may need help with while you’re working with them during your meet and greet. Depending on what your clients need are and how comfortable you feel with the type of additional activities they are requesting, you can decide how you would like to proceed.
You can
- let them know you’d like to work with them but would prefer not to assist with anything that is non-therapeutic,
- let them know you’d like to work with them but ask them to modify the activities to a level you feel comfortable helping with, or
- choose not to proceed.
The main thing to keep in mind is that it’s always better to be open and honest from the get-go.
