Empowering Futures: Exploring the Howley ASPIRE Pathways

Podcast Transcript

Dr. James K. Stoller: 

Hello and welcome to MedEd Thread, a Cleveland Clinic education podcast that explores the latest innovations in medical education and amplifies the tremendous work of our educators across the enterprise.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Hello. Welcome to today's episode of MedEd Thread, the second in a series of three educational podcasts exploring Cleveland Clinic's Howley Aspire Program. I'm your host, Dr. Tony Tizzano, director of Student and Lerner Health, here at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Today I'm very pleased to have Lenore Gregg, a certified surgical technologist with us.

Welcome, Lenore

Lenore Gregg: 

I'm well. Thank you for having me.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Also joining us is Cora Barnes, a certified Sterile Processing technician educator from the Howley Aspire Program. Cora, thank you for joining.

Cora Barnes: 

Thank you so much for having me.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

So again, welcome both to the podcast. To get us started, if each of you would just tell us a little bit about yourselves, your educational background, what brought you to Cleveland and your role here at Cleveland Clinic.

We'll start with you, Lenore.

Lenore Gregg: 

Sure. My name's Lenore Gregg, and I am a certified surgical technologist, uh, for 25 years. I'm also a fellow of the Association of Surgical Technology. I've been with Cleveland Clinic for 35 years, and what brought me to Cleveland Clinic is one was my mom worked for Cleveland Clinic already and it was close to our home.

I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I started off as a secretary. And then I went to the floor as a nursing assistant. After a few years, I went to the operating room as an orderly, and that's where I fell in love with the operating room. So I went to the operating room and I found out about sterile processing and did a little bit of sterile processing.

And one of the techs one day said, you know, you should really be a tech. And I was like, well, what is that? And I started talking with my educator and we looked into the career and I was really interested in it. And we found a program through the Association of Surgical Technology where I could use my college credits that I've already was going to school for and on the job training and be able to sit to get certified.

Well, that was a long time ago and they don't do that anymore, but I did go back and get my associate's degree and I'm really glad that I did do that.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Well, Lenore, you know, you speak to the fact that you could come into Cleveland Clinic somewhere among, its 80,000 plus people who work here and who knows where the journey will take you.

And it's fabulous to hear that that's worked out so well. Cora, what about you?

Cora Barnes: 

Hi, my name is Cora Barnes and I am a certified sterile processing educator for the Howley Aspire Pathways program. I've been with Cleveland Clinic for over 11 years, and I have been at Cleveland Clinic all of those years. I completed my associates of Arts degree at Cuyahoga Community College.

I started off at Cleveland Clinic as a non-certified technician. Now I am the sterile processing educator for the Howley Aspire program. I'm very passionate about sterile processing and enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience with the next generation of sterile processing professionals.

What brought me to Cleveland Clinic was I had got laid off from my previous job. And I was taking classes at Tri-C and with those classes I had already taken enough classes and was eligible for the sterile processing program. I completed the program and I did my clinicals at Cleveland Clinic main campus. After I completed my clinicals I applied for a sterile processing position and I got the job.

But before I accepted the job, I researched the values of Cleveland Clinic and they aligned with my own personal values. I knew that Cleveland Clinic was the place for me.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

I love it. Thank you so much, Cora.

So in today's episode, we'll explore three offerings within the Howley Aspire Pathways program, an enrichment initiative sponsored by the Howley Foundation in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic. Designed for high school juniors, interested in pursuing careers in the areas of surgical technology, sterile processing, and respiratory therapy.

This innovative program focuses on and is geared towards those students who would benefit most from the opportunity to participate in these engaging experiences.

So, Lenore, to get us started, could you help frame today's conversation by providing our listeners with an overview of the role of a surgical technologist as an essential member of the operating room team?

Lenore Gregg: 

Surgical technologists are the right hand of the surgeon. We anticipate the needs of the surgeon. We need to know the steps of that surgery just as well as the surgeon does. We have to be able to know what the surgeon's gonna need before the surgeon needs it.

We prepare the operating room. We set up all the surgical equipment. We do surgical counts. We are the watchful eye to make sure that nobody contaminates our sterile field because you know, the sterile field has no germs in it.

Because we want our patients to make sure that they get no extra germs. They only have their own.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

You know, you don't think about the importance of all this, but the whole idea, 150 years ago, we didn't think about any of this. You know, the, the greater part of a survival in an operating room wasn't because of antibiotics, but it's because of just the kind of things that you and Cora are talking about.

Keeping a sterile field, having sterile instruments washing our hands. What about respiratory therapy? I understand that you could speak to that a bit too.

Lenore Gregg: 

Yes. Our respiratory therapists work with doctors and nurses. They administer medication to alleviate breathing problems. They monitor oxygen levels. They also manage and maintain artificial airways. They perform tests.

Respiratory therapists also initiate and manage those mechanical ventilators for patients who can't breathe adequately on their own. We have respiratory therapists in all of our 18 locations and in our emergency room departments.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Cora, please give us a similar overview of sterile processing the department and the critical role it plays in the safety of our surgical patients.

Cora Barnes: 

Sterile processing is behind the scenes. There is no direct patient care. Reprocessing surgical instruments and equipment ensures that every department in the hospital can provide patients with the best and safe care.

This includes departments such as respiratory therapy, heart and vascular, labor and delivery surgery. Even the bed pans and IV poles must travel to the sterile processing department to get reprocessed. Our department makes sure all surgical instruments are safe and clean also the first defense to prevent infection.

It's four key areas of the sterile processing department that is cleaning and decontamination, prep and pack, sterilization and storage and distribution. Cleaning and decontamination are the physical or chemical process where contaminated instruments are cleaned. Prep and pack is where the instruments are closely inspected, tested, and prepared to be sterilized.

This process must take place so the surgeons and doctors are using safe and quality instruments. Sterilizing the instruments is the procedure of destroying all the microorganisms to help prevent the transmission of infection and to reduce the risk of hospital acquired infection.

After the sterilizing process has been successful, the instrument trays are moved to a special holding place where they're kept until they're needed for surgery.

Sterile processing is the heart of the hospital. No healthcare procedure or hospital stay can be successful without the critical support of the sterile processing department.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Absolutely, and as a surgeon, I applaud your efforts and the things that you do for us. So Lenore, what sort of insight and foundational skills does the Howley Aspire program seek to provide in preparing students for these important career paths?

Lenore Gregg: 

Well, we start in the student's junior year, and we give our students a foundation in knowing their brand and their why. Giving them the tools and communication and professionalism, we teach them good employability skills. We even have them punch in and out.

We introduce them to our three specialties by creating rotation stations with hands-on skills, and we have a day where we collaborate with our nurse scholars to show 'em how we work with interdisciplinary teams.

We end this year at our Beachwood Family Health Center, where we go into the environment to complete hands-on skills.

In our senior year, the students will pick up their pathway and get their more in-depth hands-on skills like working with pig lungs, setting up surgical tables, removing visible tissue from instruments, doing inspections of instruments.

The students will complete 12 hours of shadowing with a Cleveland Clinic caregiver in the career choice that they have chosen. We bring in volunteers for these careers to help with these professional socialization. We work to help these students because becoming an adult and dealing with money and bills and having to do all this stuff by themselves can be a little overwhelming.

We also do job readiness training them by preparing resumes and doing mock interviews, reviewing employer expectations. Our students will be Cleveland Clinic caregivers when they're done with high school, so we want to ensure that they're aware of the expectation because this is key in their success.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Perfect. Thank you very much. Cora, why were these three disciplines included in the Howley Aspires Pathways program?

Cora Barnes: 

These three careers, store processing, surgical tech, and also respiratory therapy are in high demand and are not well known careers. It provides students with the opportunity to support themselves to become self-sufficient.

It is ideal for hands-on learners, and these specialties play a vital role in supporting the everyday operations of the hospital. This has led to Cleveland Clinic and the Howley Foundation collaborating to launch a pipeline program for these specialties.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Very good. So Lenore, I'm sure that our listeners, having heard some of this, are interested in like, how do I get started?

How does someone get connected with the Howley Aspire program?

Lenore Gregg: 

Well, first of all, you can find our website. You can Google Howley Aspire program and it will take you to our website. We can also go to ccf.org and in the search bar type in Howley Aspire program and that will come up. There are a little bit of a guidelines for our program.

You know, we are looking for students who meet our eligibility requirements, which is being an US citizen enrolled in 11th grade during the 25 - 26 academic year. For our Pathways program, you need a GPA of 2.5. And if you have a 2.0 we just need a little bit of extra paperwork, I guess you could say. We just need a little bit more referrals from your school, from your teachers.

Demonstrate that financial need and and at least a minimal eligibility for a federal Pell Grant. Ability to attend and provide the transportation for all 12 Saturday sessions. If you have any questions, you can reach out to us at aspire@ccf.org.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

So you actually can do this right while you're going to school.

This actually can occur in parallel because it's on the weekend.

Lenore Gregg: 

Absolutely excellent.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

So for both of you, once a student completes that senior year with the Howley Aspire program, what's the next step in the journey to becoming any one of these three areas? Cora, we can start with you.

Cora Barnes: 

So, for store processing, the student must have a high school diploma. They will become a full-time Cleveland Clinic caregiver after they apply and go through the interviewing process. We have a 12 week robust hands-on training on the job, and then also we prepare them to sit for their certification.

They have to have 400 hours of hands-on training in that department, or either within one year they are eligible to sit for the sterile processing certification tests.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

So Cora, do I understand correctly that once a student decides and qualifies for this and they get accepted, they literally are getting paid while they go through the training to become a sterile processing technician?

Cora Barnes: 

Yes, they are. The 12 weeks on a hands training is paid.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

And once they're through that door and they become part of the Cleveland Clinic family, who knows?

Which is evidenced by both of what you've both been telling us. Lenore, what about for surgical technology?

Lenore Gregg: 

Well for surgical technology, they become A-C-C-F-P-R-N, which is as needed operating room assistant, which will be in the operating room. They will help move patients. They will help stock rooms. They have other duties and get special projects.

It's a required 320 hours, so they can work and go to school at the same time. They will receive a generous scholarship to go to Cuyahoga Community College. They'll have to apply to the surgical technology program, and upon graduation, they will graduate with an associate's degree in applied science of surgical technology.

They will also sit for the National Certification Exam to become a certified surgical technologist.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

And what about for respiratory therapy?

Lenore Gregg: 

So respiratory therapy will also get an as needed PRN position, becoming a support tech. And as they go through school, we'll have a chance to draw some blood gases and do EKGs.

They also help with stocking and assisting respiratory therapists. That is also a 320 hour requirement. They also get a generous scholarship to Kent State, and they will apply to the respiratory therapy program and complete an associate's degree at Kent State University.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Fabulous. So Cora, now they've gotten into sterile processing. It's an entry-level position. What comes next? What are the opportunities down the road for someone to grow in that career path?

Cora Barnes: Yes. Like I said before, after the 400 hours on a job training within one year, they can sit for the certification, they become certified. After that, they can become a lead tech, a supervisor, managers, directors of the department. We have senior directors. Even an educator like I am.

Also, they can get specialty certifications. They can get their instrument specialty certification, quality certification, scope certification. And then also with our certification, they do have a certification for management so they can study and obtain that management certification as well.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

So make no mistake, this is an exciting career path that could take a lifetime.

Cora Barnes: 

Yes, it is.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Might one or both of you share an inspiring story of success or fulfillment had by a student that has participated in one of these programs? And Cora, we can start with you.

Cora Barnes: 

First, we have our first cohort of students that has successfully graduated from high school. Some are working full time at Cleveland Clinic. We have others that are PRN and attending Tri-C or Kent State.

We had one student that was not meeting all of the program expectations during their junior year, and we almost did not invite the student back for senior year, but the student came back senior year with a positive attitude and became our star student. They're doing very well, and they are also volunteering and giving back to the Howley Aspire program when they are available.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

You know, that example really speaks to the fact that sometimes at some point in our lives, things don't go exactly how we're planned. We have hurdles to cross and so on and so forth, but you're sensitive enough to recognize that and look what a difference that may likely have made for this individual.

I have to applaud that effort. Lenore, what about you?

Lenore Gregg: 

Well, we have a couple students that are doing just very, very well. That we are very proud of them. I have a student who's going to apply to the surgical tech program. She is working with our liver team over there at main campus right now as that OR assistant with flying colors.

They're very happy to have her on their team and she will be applying to the program. So she is well on her way.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Fabulous. So again, for either of you, when you look at the horizon and you think of things that you might change or wish for in the program. What might those be, if anything?

Lenore Gregg: 

On the horizon just I think we're gonna see a lot of change in a lot of people's lives, and the more people's lives that we can impact, I think is going to be wonderful. So that's what I would like more people that we can help and change lives in our patients, everything.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

It's all about opportunity.

Lenore Gregg: 

It is.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Cora, did you have something to add?

Cora Barnes: 

I, I just wanna say, you know, it's very exciting for me to start preparing our next generation for healthcare. Like I said before, is that these specialties are not very well known. And it's very exciting to me to introduce these specialties to our students and we have a lot of them very excited about these different careers and are pursuing them, so that's very exciting for me.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Well, Cora, thank you very much. Is there anything either of you would like to add that I may have missed?

Cora Barnes: 

Yes, so we do have a one day summer bootcamp for the Howley Aspire Pathways students to explore sterile processing, surgical tech, and also respiratory therapy. That will be held at South Point Hospital on July 16th.

All the information and the eligibility will be posted on our website in the upcoming weeks. We encourage students that will be in the ninth through 11th grade for the 2025, 2026 school year and meet all of the requirements to apply for the bootcamp.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

That's fabulous. So if you just wanna dip your toe in the water and see what this all looks like, here's an opportunity.

Mm-hmm.

Cora Barnes: 

Yes.

Dr. Tony Tizanno: 

Well, thank you so much, Cora and Lenore. This has been a wonderfully insightful and thought provoking episode of MedEd Thread. To our listeners, if you'd like to suggest a medical education topic to us or comment on an episode, please email us at education@ccf.org. Thank you very much for joining, and we look forward to seeing you on our next podcast.

Have a wonderful day.

Dr. James K. Stoller: 

This concludes this episode of MedEd Thread, a Cleveland Clinic Education podcast. Be sure to subscribe to hear new episodes via iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Until next time, thanks for listening to MedEd Thread and please join us again soon.