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Update: SC AHEC Regional Centers Pivot Continuing Education Programs Online

We know that even through unprecedented times, health professionals still need continuing professional development to maintain certifications and licensure. To continue to be able to offer education to the professionals in their communities, the regional South Carolina AHEC centers quickly began transitioning scheduled continuing professional development programs from in-person events to webinars. Here are some brief highlights: Lowcountry AHEC worked with longtime instructor Francine Muscarella, LMSW, LCSW, to offer her already scheduled courses The Art of Leading and Are You Running Out of Time? as webinars to professionals statewide. The transition allowed a multidisciplinary group of attendees to still participate in learning opportunities without leaving their homes. “Huge thanks and shout out,” remarked one attendee, “to all those involved to take this from an in-person class to transition it on short notice to a webinar.” Likewise, Mid-Carolina AHEC cancelled all in-p
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A COVID-19 Update from Our Executive Director

At South Carolina AHEC it is our mission to serve the state to ensure each and every community has the healthcare workforce and access it needs. In times like these, it’s even more important to support our healthcare professionals and the health workforce pipeline and, as the pandemic evolves, we are here for you. Just in the past couple of days we have:  Assisted two universities in meeting requirements of their interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum by providing access to AHEC Scholars online programs Provided information about the Health Careers Program (HCP) modules to the SC Department of Education to list with their health sciences curriculum as they transition to online learning Adjusted student housing needs and protocols and assisted with relocating clinical placements while tracking new policies from many institutions Moved numerous live continuing professional development (CPD) events to webinars to help healthcare professionals maintain access to education
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South Carolina AHEC Continuing Professional Development Programs

South Carolina AHEC supports the state’s healthcare workforce by offering educational programs to many healthcare professionals. Programs provide knowledge and updated information to healthcare professionals across multiple disciplines so they can provide the best possible care to communities. Our continuing professional development programs identify the educational needs of healthcare professionals and provide programs designed to enhance clinical skills and maintain professional licensure and certifications. Programs are delivered through traditional methods and innovative technologies. In addition to in-person programs hosted throughout the state by the four regional AHEC centers, a large library of online and on-demand education is available via the South Carolina AHEC Learning Portal and AHEC U. Especially during a pandemic, it is imperative that our healthcare workforce is able to maintain their licensure and certifications. As such, we are doing our best to maintai
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Lowcountry AHEC Supports IV Therapy Provision with Training

While the placement of an intravenous line in healthcare is often routine, a practice or facility’s ability  to offer IV therapy to patients provides many benefits to the patient and the practice. To that end, Lowcountry AHEC offered an “Introduction to IV Therapy” continuing professional development course in January to healthcare professionals, including nurses from Methodist Oaks Retirement Community and surgical assistants from Mooresville Oral Surgery. Taught by 2014 SC AHEC Educator of the Year Wilma Rice, MSN, RN, CEN, the course covered best practice guidelines as well as demonstrations. Participants then completed a skills demonstration to assess what they learned. Methodist Oaks Retirement Community is a continuing care retirement community in Orangeburg that provides independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing care. The facility is planning to increase the availability of IV services for the community and will permit IV insertions, maintenance, and treatment
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Partnerships That Work for Rural

Since 2007, Mid-Carolina AHEC has been an active member of the Upper Midlands Rural Health Network (UMRHN), a 19-member consortium serving Chester, Fairfield and Lancaster counties. UMRHN members began meeting in 2004 in order to formalize their healthcare partnerships within mutual service areas.  Karen Nichols, UMRHN executive director, shares that the network and region “have benefitted in a number of ways from the partnership with Mid-Carolina AHEC.”  Mid-Carolina AHEC works with the UMRHN outreach committee to provide annual continuing education to school nurses and social workers in an effort to improve competencies in managing chronic conditions for school-aged children. The annual workshop provides a central location for nurses in the region to receive training on emerging topics. Particularly in underserved and under-resourced areas, school nurses play a key role in the safety and social support of children who might not receive care anywhere else. Mid-Carolina AHEC provi
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Pee Dee AHEC Hosts Innovative Training: Bal-A-Vis-X

In January, more than 40 participants from seven states attended Pee Dee AHEC’s Bal-A-Vis-X two-day training. Bal-A-Vis-X is a series of exercises that improve balance, hearing, vision, and brain/body integration. It focuses on sensory integration, balance, cross body, and mid-line movements to help improve gross and fine motor skills. It can also improve attention and focus in patients and students.   Bill Hubert developed and founded Bal-A-Vis-X more than 20 years ago. He travels across the United States providing trainings to occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech pathologists, counselors, social workers, athletic trainers, teachers, and more. Bill uses tools such as balance boards, sand-filled bags, and racquetballs in a series of over 300 exercises. These materials and exercises are used to promote and develop balance, rhythm, focus, and movement. Occupational therapist Angela Morph has attended this training multiple times and explained the difference it makes i
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Upstate AHEC Leverages Blended Learning in Continuing Professional Development

Upstate AHEC is utilizing a blended education model for a portion of its continuing professional development programming to support training for health professionals. The blended/flipped classroom is beneficial because it allows flexibility and ownership in the learning process. Health professionals are able to complete much of the coursework in their own time, at their own pace, without taking time off work to attend a full day or multiple day training. The flipped classroom also encourages participants to be more accountable for the learning process and allows them to move at their own pace as needed. By blending a hands-on lab training with the lecture, participants are able to apply the skills learned in the online lecture under the in-person guidance of their instructor. This reinforces the skills learned and allows the learner to put the new knowledge into practice. Prisma Health Lila Doyle nursing home, AnMed Health Rehab, and the Greenville County Detention Center in the Upst
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