UCLA Ronald Reagan Clinical Care Extender Program

[jwrands]

Hello,

Wondering if anyone is currently or have in the past participated in the UCLA clinical care extender program. If yes, how is or was the experience? Also, what is the selection process like? There is a brief summary at the UCLA CCE page, however, can anyone provide their personal experience regarding the interview process and the process in general if selected?

I live in Orange County and currently deciding between either the UCLA CCE or the Hoag Hospital CCE program. I have reserved an interview spot for the CCE program at Hoag Hospital for the May cycle. The UCLA CCE program's next enrollment session is scheduled for April.

Thanks

[justinpark09, MSN, RN]

Hello,

Wondering if anyone is currently or have in the past participated in the UCLA clinical care extender program. If yes, how is or was the experience? Also, what is the selection process like? There is a brief summary at the UCLA CCE page, however, can anyone provide their personal experience regarding the interview process and the process in general if selected?

I live in Orange County and currently deciding between either the UCLA CCE or the Hoag Hospital CCE program. I have reserved an interview spot for the CCE program at Hoag Hospital for the May cycle. The UCLA CCE program's next enrollment session is scheduled for April.

Thanks

Hello, Im interesting in ucla CCE program too. Did you have a chance to find out the answers for the questions above? Thank you.

[Pachinko]

I haven't participated, but I'm a nurse who works on a floor with care extenders at RR-UCLA. I've spoken to some of them, and apparently you can request the kind of unit you want to work in (whether it's always honored, I'm not sure). Most seem to like the program, and care extenders are liked by the staff for the help they provide. Care extenders are not allowed to have patient contact or to enter rooms that are under isolation for contagious infections.

My advice to you would be to request to participate in things, or at least be allowed to observe. A lot of the care extenders just seem to end up answering phones, getting pillows and blankets for staff, etc. If you see a complex patient (has a lots of life support machines, extra staffing, etc) and the RN isn't so busy, try asking some questions and ask them to let you watch if/when they do things like dressing changes, etc. Or, at least ask them to explain stuff to you. I've felt bad for bored looking care extenders and brought them in to witness dialysis initiation, VAD dressing changes, central line insertions, and codes (always exciting), and they love it, but I'm usually the one initiating the encounter.

Simply being on the floor and observing how everything works will still be interesting and educational for you, but you can get more out of it if you make contact with staff.