Carolinas College of Health Sciences
Encyclopedia
Carolinas College of Health Sciences (CCHS) is a public 2-year college located near downtown Charlotte, North Carolina
. A subsidiary of Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) and owned by Carolinas HealthCare System, the college offers educational programs leading to entry-level employment in health care. Programs offered include nursing
, radiologic technology, radiation therapy
, surgical technology, and medical laboratory sciences. The continuing education department offers non-credit education in nurse aide, healing touch, phlebotomy
, CPR of various levels, cancer massage, IV therapy, and other focused areas of health care.
CCHS was ranked the number three 2-year college in the country by Washington Monthly in 2010, based on the college's high graduation rate and responses on a national, standardized survey of student engagement. CCHS is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award the Associate of Applied Science degree.
administration established the CMHA School of Nursing after a feasibility study showed the need for nurses at the local and statewide level. Degree granting authority was obtained through the Hospital Authority Act [NC General Stat 113E-23 (a)(31)], and was delegated to the school by the Board of Commissioners. The North Carolina Board of Nursing gave initial approval to the school in May 1990, with the first students admitted in the fall of that year. Full approval status was granted by the North Carolina Board of Nursing, and the first class graduated in 1992. In December 1993, CMHA's Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to incorporate the CMHA School of Nursing and to appoint a board of directors for the school. Degree granting authority was delegated to the board of directors.
In July 1996, the board of directors approved the school to do business as Carolinas College of Health Sciences. The existing Schools of Radiologic Technology and Surgical Technology joined CCHS in August 1996, and the School of Medical Technology joined in January 1997. In 1999, the first students were admitted to the Nurse Aide I and Phlebotomy programs and in 2003, the School of Emergency Medical Sciences was added. Nurse Aide II was offered for the first time in 2006.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. A subsidiary of Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) and owned by Carolinas HealthCare System, the college offers educational programs leading to entry-level employment in health care. Programs offered include nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, radiologic technology, radiation therapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
, surgical technology, and medical laboratory sciences. The continuing education department offers non-credit education in nurse aide, healing touch, phlebotomy
Phlebotomist
Phlebotomists are individuals trained to draw blood from a live person or animal.Phlebotomists collect blood primarily by performing venipuncture and, for collection of minute quantities of blood, fingersticks. Blood may be collected from infants by means of a heel stick...
, CPR of various levels, cancer massage, IV therapy, and other focused areas of health care.
CCHS was ranked the number three 2-year college in the country by Washington Monthly in 2010, based on the college's high graduation rate and responses on a national, standardized survey of student engagement. CCHS is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award the Associate of Applied Science degree.
History
In the late 1980s, Carolinas HealthCare SystemCarolinas Healthcare System
Carolinas HealthCare System is a hospital network located throughout North and South Carolina. About 90% of the hospitals affiliated with the system are located within a 75 mile radius of Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina...
administration established the CMHA School of Nursing after a feasibility study showed the need for nurses at the local and statewide level. Degree granting authority was obtained through the Hospital Authority Act [NC General Stat 113E-23 (a)(31)], and was delegated to the school by the Board of Commissioners. The North Carolina Board of Nursing gave initial approval to the school in May 1990, with the first students admitted in the fall of that year. Full approval status was granted by the North Carolina Board of Nursing, and the first class graduated in 1992. In December 1993, CMHA's Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to incorporate the CMHA School of Nursing and to appoint a board of directors for the school. Degree granting authority was delegated to the board of directors.
In July 1996, the board of directors approved the school to do business as Carolinas College of Health Sciences. The existing Schools of Radiologic Technology and Surgical Technology joined CCHS in August 1996, and the School of Medical Technology joined in January 1997. In 1999, the first students were admitted to the Nurse Aide I and Phlebotomy programs and in 2003, the School of Emergency Medical Sciences was added. Nurse Aide II was offered for the first time in 2006.