Educational Opportunities

The Educational Services Department of the Staff Services Division is committed to providing high quality educational opportunities for our customers - hospital staff, physicians, patients and the community.

In addition to Staff Education, Continuing Medical Education for physicians is offered every Tuesday from 12:30pm - 1:30pm. Each program is accredited by MAHEC in Asheville for 1 Hour of Category 1 Credit.

Classes offered at WestCare

All Life Safety courses (BLS, ACLS & PALS) are American Heart Association courses. Contact Connie Farmer at 586-7936 for registration and information needs.

Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers(CPR). Basic course is offered every other month at Harris Regional Hospital on Saturdays. It is also offered quarterly on Tuesdays at Swain County Hospital. Time for this course is 9:00am - 4:30pm. Call 828-586-7608 for more information.
BLS Renewal skills checkoff is offered quarterly . BLS renewal module must be completed online or through WestCare Staff Services online renewal course prior to skills checkoff. Skills session is less than one hour. To schedule a skills session after the online module is completed call 828-586-7608

Advanced Cardiac Life Support Basic Course is offered four times a year. Each series is Monday and Tuesday (9:00am - 5:00pm). ACLS Renewal is offered four times a year, on Tuesdays from 9:00am - 5:00pm. A current student provider manual is required. Call 828-586-7608 for information and registration.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support Basic Class is offered three times a year. Each series is Monday and Tuesday, from 9:00am - 5:00pm. PALS Renewal is offered three times a year, Tuesday from 9:00am - 5:00pm. A current student provider manual is required. Call 828-586-7608 for information and registration.

For all classes below, register on Net Learning if you are a WestCare employee (free of charge) or call 586-7287 if you wish to attend from the community. A fee schedule is available on request.

Neonatal Resuscitation Program Basic Classes are only offered as needed or requested. NRP Renewal classes are held quarterly, on Thursdays from 9:00am - 12:00pm. A current student provider manual is required. Call 828-586-7287 for information and registration. Taught by certified AAP-NRP instructors.

IV Level I ( Peripheral IV ) and Level II (Central Venous Access devices) classes are held quarterly at Harris Reg. Hospital from 9:00am - 4:30pm and once a year at Swain County Hospital.  Level I information is for those who need basic skills or update, including peripheral IV skills & equipment, pumps & PCA's. Level II is for those who already have basic skills and will be dealing with Central Venous Catheters.

Physical Assessment class - focused assessment for patients from birth to death - is held on request. Time frame is 9:00am - 4:30pm.

Basic Telemetry class is for those needing basic telemetry skills or update on dysrhythmias. It is held twice a year from 9:00am - 4:30pm.

Computer Classes are held every other month for "Introduction to Microsoft Word / Excel / Powerpoint." All WestCare staff are welcome to attend. First choice is given to those who use these skills on the job but all employees are welcome. Register through Net Learning as space is limited to 12 participants per class. 

In addition to the above classes, WestCare provides New Employee Orientation/Nursing Orientation/ and Patient Care Orientation every month for its new employees.  Coaching training, Facilitator/Team Leader training, Time Management/Personal Effectiveness, and Customer Service Excellence training are also available upon request.

In addition to the in-house education mentioned above, there are educational opportunities in the surrounding area.