registered nurse – 91��Ƭ

Extended Care Job Fair

Michelle Lang — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0000

91��Ƭ Extended Care Facility is hiring certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs). 91��Ƭ’s Human Resources Department is hosting a Job Fair on Friday, Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Monsignor Linder Plaza, 233 West Market St., Newark.

For more information about the Job Fair, call 973-639-7800.

Click here to view the flyer.

91��Ƭ Job Fair for Extended Care Nursing Positions Set for Oct. 24

Michelle Lang — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 18:57:16 +0000

is hiring certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs). 91��Ƭ’s Human Resources Department is hosting a Job Fair on Friday, Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Monsignor Linder Plaza, 233 West Market St., Newark.

For more information about the Job Fair, call 973-639-7800.

Click here to view the flyer.

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.

Extended Care RN Credits 91��Ƭ for Helping Her Achieve Success

Michelle Lang — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 18:45:17 +0000

Joyce Misiani has faced numerous challenges since coming to New Jersey from Kenya about 15 years ago. 91��Ƭ has helped her through difficult times and provided support that has enabled her to have a successful career in health care as a registered nurse.

Misiani first became involved with 91��Ƭ when she enrolled in the licensed practical nurse (LPN) program it used to offer. She was working a security job while living in Newark and decided she wanted to obtain a certification in the nursing field. 91��Ƭ’s program was the closest to where she was living, so she enrolled.

Shortly after joining the program, Misiani became homeless. She was staying in a friend’s basement with her daughters and her grades began to slip. Her instructor, Ellen Boddie, noticed something was wrong and questioned her about it. Although she resisted at first, Misiani eventually told Boddie what was going on. Boddie reached out to NCC Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson about the situation and they helped Misiani get placed at Harmony House, NCC’s transitional housing for homeless families.

From Harmony House, Wilson helped Misiani get an NCC apartment on Bruce Street. Even during the moves, Misiani continued attending the LPN program with encouragement from Boddie. She said her grades began to improve after she obtained permanent housing.

One of Misiani’s classmates told her she would be a good candidate for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. She did her research and visited a local office to see if she would qualify. She did and was accepted into the program. For two and a half years, Misiani helped build her house, along with several others, using what Habitat for Humanity calls “sweat equity” for payment. At the end, she became a homeowner of a home in Irvington, where she lives today.

After Misiani completed the LPN program, she was hired at 91��Ƭ Extended Care. She was a good employee and dedicated to her work and the residents at the facility. Extended Care Administrator Veronica Onwunaka, who served as the Director of Nursing at the time, took notice.

“She cares about people and she shows a lot of dedication and that was why, when I saw and noticed that she could do more and she has the tools and the knowledge in her to do more, I spoke with Monsignor about training her to become a registered nurse,” Onwunaka said.

Monsignor William J. Linder, founder of 91��Ƭ, who lived the last years of his life at Extended Care, encouraged Misiani to return to school and become an RN.

“I couldn’t be what I am today if it were not for him,” Misiani said.

He insisted Misiani apply to colleges, even telling her that she had to take a day off work to complete applications. She planned to continue her education, but it was difficult as a single mother of four girls. Monsignor insisted and Misiani settled on Chamberlain University in New Brunswick. She received a scholarship from 91��Ƭ to attend.

Obtaining her bachelor’s degree certainly wasn’t easy. She continued working and felt guilty that she wasn’t spending as much time with her four daughters as she thought she should. But she said it was a sacrifice that was necessary to improve her family’s life. And she didn’t want to let anyone down.

“So many times I wanted to just quit. So many things happening,” Misiani said. “But then I kept saying, if I quit Monsignor really went out of his way. This is just too much to lose. It’s a lot of money. Just study hard.”

The hard work paid off. Misiani is now a registered nurse and is still working at Extended Care as an assistant unit manager.

“I said I have to come back. How else can you really say thank you?” she said. “NCC has really shaped me. Because if I weren’t here, I don’t know where I would be. I will always be grateful.”

Wilson said she was happy to help Misiani find an apartment and remembers providing her children with gifts for Christmas.

“She’s a good worker but she is also a mother who loves her four children. Even though she is a single mom, she takes care of her children,” Wilson said. “When I heard she had become a registered nurse, I was happy for her.”

Misiani is relieved that she has completed her studies and is now able to spend more time with her four daughters, who she said were extremely happy when she graduated. Her oldest daughter, who is 24, lives with her full-time and was a recipient of the Monsignor William J. Linder Scholarship for her high school education. Misiani’s three younger daughters, twins who are 13 and a younger girl who is 11, attend boarding school in Pennsylvania and are home for summers and holiday breaks.

“I feel like I’m so blessed. Because when you start, you’re so miserable, desperate. There are times you feel like you’re just nothing,” Misiani said. “I’m honored to be one of Monsignor’s recipients of the scholarship. I don’t know how to put it into words but I really thank God for everything.”

CMA Student Juggles Full-Time Job And Classes

Michelle Lang — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 18:54:17 +0000

Samaya Hutchinson is participating in the Certified Medical Assistant program at 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center. She hopes to one day become a registered nurse.

Having a full-time job while going to school is never easy, but it becomes even more of a challenge when you’re working nights and attending classes during the day. That’s what Samaya Hutchinson is doing to complete the Certified Medical Assistant program at 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center.
Hutchinson works as a certified home health aide at Brighton Gardens, Sunrise Senior Living in West Orange from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. She also works Saturday afternoons and sometimes Sunday. She attends class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the week.
Getting very little sleep hasn’t deterred the 21-year-old.
“It’s hard but I push myself because I want more for myself,” she said. “I want to finance myself so I don’t have to depend on my parents.”
Hutchinson moved to East Orange last year from Jamaica. She lives with her mother, stepfather, three sisters and two brothers.
She has wanted to work in the health care field since she was about 6 years old, when her grandmother passed away. “Because I didn’t have the chance to help her, I wanted to be a nurse,” Hutchinson said.
Her sister, who wanted to be a doctor, got very sick when she was 15 and passed away. That pushed Hutchinson even more toward health care.
Hutchinson’s ultimate goal is to become a registered nurse. She plans to complete the Workforce CMA program and work as a certified medical assistant full-time while also maintaining her role as a certified home health aide on the weekends. She wants to earn a bachelor’s degree as well, which she hopes to start working toward in 2019.
91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center staff members are convinced she’ll achieve her goals.
“Samaya is destined for success. She’s smart, hard-working and committed to making the necessary sacrifices to meet her professional and personal goals,” said Workforce Development Center Director Rodney Brutton. “This is evident by Samaya’s perfect attendance participating in the CMA program although she works a full-time job at Brighton Gardens, Sunrise Senior Living.”
“Ms. Hutchinson is a motivated and diligent student whom I had the pleasure of having in my class,” said CMA instructor Seham Abouelhassan. “Ms. Hutchinson is always willing to learn and has proven to be responsible and punctual in spite of her overnight job which I know to be tiresome and draining.”
Hutchinson enjoys taking classes at Workforce. She said it’s a friendly atmosphere with good teachers. She also has a very close relationship with the other students.
“My classmates are like family to me,” she said.
Hutchinson is very driven to attain the education needed to pursue her dream career and maintain independence. Another goal she has is to get a driver’s license and her own car next year.
“I’ve always wanted to help others and make people proud, especially my mom,” Hutchinson said.
She is well on her way to doing both.