A.O. Fox Hospital, BOCES partner on nursing program

ONEONTA — A.O. Fox Hospital, part of the Bassett Healthcare Network, and Otsego Northern Catskills Board of Cooperative Educational Services (ONC BOCES) have announced a new partnership that brings the BOCES practical nursing-certification program to the hospital. The comprehensive 10-month program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in nursing roles in various health-care settings. The curriculum covers nursing fundamentals, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, growth and development, maternity and pediatrics, and other essential areas. “ONC BOCES is thrilled to offer this pathway into the nursing profession,” ONC BOCES District Superintendent Catherine Huber said in a Bassett news release announcing the partnership. “Our partnership with Bassett Healthcare Network allows students to learn in a dynamic clinical setting, providing invaluable hands-on experience alongside expert healthcare staff and instructors.” The organizations are currently accepting applications for the next session, which starts in August, and are prepared to accept an entering class of 30 or more students. Scholarships and financial aid may be available for eligible candidates. At a time when Bassett is hiring for clinical positions across the eight-county region it serves, the program will help provide qualified candidates, the organizations contend. “We are very excited to partner with ONC BOCES,” Bassett Healthcare Network Chief Nursing Executive Dr. Angela Belmont said. “As we support them through the educational process, they will provide a pipeline of employment candidates for Bassett Healthcare Network. We are investing in our future and assisting to increase the health-care workforce. It’s a win-win situation.” More information about the program is available online at: www.oncboces.org/PracticalNursingProgram. ONC BOCES provides educational and workforce-development programs to individuals in Otsego, Delaware, Schoharie, and Greene counties. Bassett Healthcare Network includes five corporately affiliated hospitals along with community-based health centers, school-based health centers, and skilled-nursing facilities.