Bringing Hands-On Learning to Mishawaka’s Future CNAs
For Jennifer, nursing started as a childhood dream sketched in a first-grade drawing: “baby nurse.” She made good on that promise: Earning her BSN from IUSB and spending 16 years in Labor & Delivery at Memorial Hospital. Later, with three teens at home, she shifted to Allied Surgery Center for day hours and less holiday/weekend strain. Last year, she joined Legacy Medical Academy’s adult CNA program; this year, she’s teaching Mishawaka High School’s students, too.
Learning That Sticks
Her classroom is part lab, part clinic, part improv. When students learn to remove contaminated gloves, they practice with chocolate syrup “contamination”—a lighthearted way to make sterile technique unforgettable. When they study thickened liquids, they mix and taste them to understand what residents experience and why empathy matters. She leans on stories from the floor and uses rhymes/mnemonics (inspired by supporting a daughter with an auditory processing disorder) so concepts stick.
Skills, Safety, and the Human Side
Yes, the 72 state-tested skills are the backbone. But she also builds time for observations: Activities, PT/OT, exercise classes—because seeing residents in different contexts teaches students how people truly live, heal, and connect. Her top priorities: Safe transfers, situational awareness, and clear, respectful communication. For shy students, she coaches the confidence to enter a room, lead care, and advocate, kindly but clearly.
She’s candid about the profession’s rigors. Having often worked two or three roles at once (from OB home care to wellness-center infusions), she encourages students to protect their energy and pivot when a setting isn’t the right fit. “The medical field is vast,” she says. “CNA is a stepping stone—to hospitals, long-term care, travel roles, insurance, even Disney cruise lines. Try it, learn, and follow where your love really is.”
Why CNAs Matter
Her philosophy is simple: more CNAs = better care. A strong aide team meets patients’ essential needs and frees nurses to focus on clinical tasks, reducing errors and improving outcomes. She’s seen it firsthand, and she’s determined to graduate CNAs who bring competence, compassion, and a little levity to tough days.
What keeps her going? The student who struggles, regroups, and passes on the third attempt. The shy teen who learns to lead a safe transfer. The moment the “why” clicks. “Those turning points are everything,” she says. “That’s when you know they’re ready—not just to pass a test, but to care well.”
For more information about Legacy Medical Academy or to inquire about their programs, visit www.legacymedicalacademy.com.
