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Immediate Treatment Assistant Program for Third-Year Nursing Students

Catholic Health’s Immediate Treatment Assistant (ITA) program at Mercy Hospital provides students with a full year of experience in a clinical setting before graduation.

The ITA program pairs up third-year nursing students with experienced nurses in a variety of clinical settings. The students not only gain more practical experience than they would through their regular course work, but also become more comfortable working in a clinical setting and more familiar with the day-to-day activities of hospital-based nursing.

ITA’s can perform most of the duties of a nurses’ aide and unit clerk, as well as draw blood, take blood pressures and perform electrocardiograms.

They also gain valuable experience on the hospital’s clinical computer system, which is a real advantage for a graduate nurse.

The program allows students to enhance their skills and adapt to a hospital environment. It was established in hopes of helping new associates gain knowledge and experience that assists in preparing for the NCLEX exam, helping them gain clinical confidence necessary for a successful transition to Registered Nurse, and building a relationship with each associate so that they might choose to remain with Catholic Health.