Clara Maass Medical Center – 91��Ƭ

91��Ƭ Residents Participate in Health Fair

Michelle Lang — Thu, 18 May 2023 19:49:38 +0000

Gardens Senior, 265 Morris Ave., Newark, was the site of a health fair for residents on May 18. Those living in the building came down to the Community Room and were able to get health screenings and receive health information, food and giveaways. Thank you to , the , and for participating.

91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute Graduates Pursue Additional Education to Further Careers

Michelle Lang — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 19:05:49 +0000

An education at 91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) opens the door to a career in desirable industries. But it can also provide an important stepping stone to additional education and an enhanced career. Two women have taken full advantage of their NCCTI education and earned certifications and are now working toward additional degrees in their field.

Lavel Chambers and Denayah Reese were classmates in the Patient Care Technician (PCT) program at NCCTI. They completed the program in 2019 and both found employment at Clara Maass Medical Center. Both women have worked at the facility since getting hired, throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Now they are both enrolled in classes at Essex County College where they are pursuing additional degrees to advance in the area of nursing.

Chambers plans to enroll in a licensed practical nurse (LPN) program and then obtain her bachelor’s degree and become a registered nurse (RN). Reese hopes to become an RN and ultimately a nurse practitioner (NP), which is an advanced practice registered nurse who is trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease and formulate and prescribe treatment plans. An NP requires a master’s degree.

“Lavel and Denayah are examples of how NCCTI’s Patient Care Technician program serves as a starting point for our graduates looking to continue to pursue a career in health care. They are examples of staying true to the concept of career growth, moving up the career lattice,” said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. “The sky is the limit for Denayah and Lavel because of their strong work ethic, their commitment to succeed and willingness to grow professionally.”

Their experience at NCCTI launched their careers and opened their eyes to the potential in the health care field. They received compliments from their instructors and their Clara Maass coworkers that encouraged them to pursue additional education.

Both Chambers and Reese credit their instructors at NCCTI with helping them succeed on the job.

“The hands-on training was an A+ for us,” Chambers said. She explained that when she first started working at Clara Maass, she immediately had to draw blood and perform EKGs, two of the skills she learned at NCCTI, without any on-the-job training.

In addition to the mechanical workings of phlebotomy and EKGs, Reese said PCT Instructor Dr. Maha Koltowski also taught students about bedside care.

“She taught us how to properly go in and talk to the patient. She taught us how to clean them,” Reese said. “Everything she taught us helped.”

Chambers works as a nurse’s aide in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Clara Maass Medical Center. Her job responsibilities include drawing blood, taking blood pressures and temperatures, cleaning and repositioning patients and transporting patients to other units. She has worked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and has seen many COVID-positive patients.

Reese is a nursing assistant on the cardiac floor at Clara Maass Medical Center. She takes vital signs of patients, EKGs to check their hearts, draws blood, transfers patients to the operating room and discharges patients, which is her favorite task.

“My favorite part of my job is seeing the patients go home because I know that my coworkers and I did a great job caring for the patient,” she said. “I love to see them go home. I like to see them get into the car with their families and hug them. It’s a good feeling inside.”

Both women entered the health care field because of their experiences as children with family members. Chambers went to work with her mother, who served as a home health aide, as a child and remembered seeing her mother help those that needed assistance.

“To see the love and compassion that she had for her patients, I wanted to do the same thing,” Chambers said. “And then I want to pursue more education because she never finished going to nursing programs. So I’m trying to live for both of us.”

Reese cared for her grandmother when she was younger and helped other older relatives as well. Now she is furthering her education because she wants to make an even greater impact on patients.

“I have a passion for this deep down. I feel like I’m not at work, I’m at home. Like I leave home to go to my real home,” Reese said.

The commitment and enthusiasm for the field shined through when they were students at NCCTI. Both women attended class regularly, even amid some difficult circumstances. Chambers was working an overnight shift at FedEx while in the PCT program, which meant she left work at 6 a.m., took her children to school and then went straight to NCCTI for a full day of instruction. Reese had just turned 18 when she enrolled and was caring for a young son. But both were dedicated to earning their certifications.

“Lavel Chambers and Denayah Reese were good listeners in class. They were hard-working ladies with humble spirits. Both were attentive to the reviews at the end of the module, and they never got bored repeating the review more than once or twice. They were always following my coaching,” said PCT Instructor Dr. Maha Koltowski. “I kept telling them they have to further their careers because they are able and it is worth it.”

Both women agree that pursuing degrees is worthwhile and are excelling. Chambers has been inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success, the nation’s largest leadership honor society, and is on track to graduate from Essex County College with an associate’s degree early. Reese plans to begin the nursing program at Essex County College in the fall of 2022.

They each have families to tend to as well. Chambers has been married for 13 years and has four children ranging in age from 3 to 10. Reese has a 4-year-old son.

NCCTI staff members take an interest in students, understanding their circumstances and helping them on their path. That type of attention is welcomed by students.

“Everyone at NCCTI is caring and has compassion for everyone,” Reese said. “I didn’t think that they would actually take the time to care what my name was or anything. They came to the class every day making sure everyone was OK. And then the other resources helped too to actually get to school and stay in school.”

Resources including financial coaching, transportation vouchers and food assistance are accessible to NCCTI students to help them on the road to success. They are able to access those resources after they finish their program as well.

Students in NCCTI programs can expect to remain in contact with school personnel long after graduation.

“We as a school follow up and track our graduates to see how they’re doing. We have retention services to see if they have any career growth,” Brutton said. “It’s that holistic approach to helping our students, not only while they are here but as they transition into the workforce and remain in the workforce.”

Chambers and Reese are great examples of NCCTI fulfilling its mission to improve the quality of life of all students through education and occupational training in a community that fosters life-long learning.

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business & Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

NCCTI on the Front Line in Times of Need

Michelle Lang — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 16:26:03 +0000

By Rodney Brutton
Director of 91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute

91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) graduates stood up��Ի��stepped in during the city’s, region’s and country’s most desperate time of need. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to leave its devastating impact on the world and our region, NCCTI’s graduates are on the front line of caring for those inflicted with this virus. They are serving as clinical medical assistants, patient care technicians and community health workers at University Hospital, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Clara Maass Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center. Our graduates demonstrated their value and immediately put their training and skills to good use.

Our graduates’ commitment to standing up��Ի��stepping in during these most troubling times is exemplified by the story of Ms. Janufa Givens. Janufa is currently working in Newark Beth Israel Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit, providing direct care to COVID-19 patients. Jafuna is tasked with taking vital signs, taking blood sugar readings, assisting with connecting and disconnecting patients to ventilators, repositioning patients and performing personal hygiene care. Although initially a bit daunting, Janufa has become more confident with completing her daily tasks. She was provided all the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) and received additional training on how to “suit up” and protect herself. Janufa’s performance comes as no surprise, considering she was an excellent student in our Patient Care Technician program. Her attendance was stellar, she demonstrated superb clinical skills and she always came to school with a smile.

NCCTI served as an immediate source when employers needed skilled, trained and certified direct care health workers. At a moment’s notice, NCCTI staff identified and referred 15 graduates to our employer partners and they all were hired. NCCTI ensures there is a steady pipeline of skilled workers to answer employer needs, not just in times of urgency, but as a consistent practice. Similar to our graduates, NCCTI stood up��Ի��stepped in to support our employer partners.

NCCTI graduates are well trained, smart, caring and willing to join the front line in times of need. While most of us looked to seek cover and shelter in place, NCCTI students and many other direct health care workers stood up��Ի��stepped in to offer their skills, training and caring spirit. Jafuna is one of 15 recent graduates demonstrating their courage and passion. We are proud to call them all NCCTI alumni.

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto newcommunitytech.edu or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

Support 91��Ƭ this Giving Tuesday and Holiday Season

Michelle Lang — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 14:21:00 +0000

NCCTI Graduate Thriving in New Health Care Career

Michelle Lang — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 18:26:56 +0000

Denayah Reese loves her new career, which she recently began after completing the Patient Care Technician (PCT) program at 91��Ƭ Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI). At just 19 years old, she works as a nurse’s assistant at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, providing direct care to patients during her shift.

Reese has been interested in the medical field since she was a young girl. Her grandmother was diabetic and she would help her. When her grandmother went to a nursing home, she would visit often, helping her and interacting with the other residents. She said she also became interested in the medical field because her father’s side of the family has heart issues, including her father who had a bad heart condition at the time of his death.

“I always wanted to work at a hospital because I wanted to help people,” Reese said. “When I was a little girl, I used to play with my dolls. I would sit them all around and pretend that I was their doctor.”

So when she graduated high school, after attending both West Side High School in Newark and Irvington High School, Reese researched area nursing programs and came across NCCTI. She was still 17 when she graduated, so she waited until her 18th birthday last October and filled out an application. Because NCCTI offers open enrollment, she was able to start class in February and graduated in August.

Reese has overcome some challenges. She has a 3-year-old son to support and has experienced homelessness. But that didn’t stop her from following her dream of working in a hospital.

“Denayah Reese is one of our shining stars. We are pleased to consider her as one of our successful graduates and alumni,” said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. “We welcome recent high school graduates who are looking for a valuable education option other than college and Denayah is a young lady that epitomizes who we’re looking to enroll in our school.”

Reese credits NCCTI with preparing her for the working world and helping her find employment. Her main course instructor was Maha Koltowski, who she said was extremely helpful and accommodating.

“I never had a teacher as good as Dr. Maha. I had some good teachers, but she was a great teacher,” Reese said. “Dr. Maha was willing to stay late so we could make up our hours, catch up on things we may not understand, if we wanted to go to the laboratory. She was willing to do it.”

Koltowski said Reese was a model student, taking copious notes and sharing them with her classmates, paying attention to demonstrations and volunteering to try procedures first. She sees a bright future for Reese.

“She was one of the best students,” Koltowski said of Reese. “I expect her to be an RN one day. And I’m encouraging her to complete her studies.”

In addition to the knowledge Reese gained from the program, NCCTI helped her in other ways as well. She received a voucher for Career Closet to obtain professional attire to wear on her interview from Joann Williams-Swiney, NCCTI Income Support Specialist and Director of the Family Resource Success Center. Brutton connected Reese and her classmates to human resources personnel at a number of area hospitals and then followed up on the status of their applications once they applied. Reese also met with Financial Coach Tamara Brown in the Financial Opportunity Center and plans to return for additional guidance in a few months.

“The whole experience was great. Everybody was nice and welcoming. I felt comfortable with everybody. I could come to anybody in any situation regardless of if it was about school or anything else. They were there to help,” Reese said. “I’ve never been to a school where they care about you this much.”

Reese recommends NCCTI to others. She knows three current PCT students that she referred.

“I made sure that I advertised it in a positive way because the school has benefited me in a great way,” she said.

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto newcommunitytech.edu or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.