Patricia Graham named "Master Teacher"

(from the Longmont Times-Call):

Nurse Aide Program director, Patricia Graham, is a former student, coming through BCC's Practical Nursing and Nursing programs. She has a bachelor's degree in nursing and recently earned a master's in nursing education.

"I never thought I would be a teacher," Patricia wrote in her portfolio, "In fact, I never thought I would go to college. I am a first-generation college graduate. I started out working in a nursing home as a housekeeper after I graduated from high school."

That job started Patricia on her career path. She took a nurse aide class in the nursing home. "I made a lot of mistakes and learned how to be good at my job the hard way," she wrote. Wanting to learn the right way, she enrolled at FRCC.

Her own background "helps me relate to my students." And she knows what it takes to deliver outstanding patient care. "I challenge students to be the best that they can be by holding them to high standards that will ensure they are competent, knowledgeable, and caring health care providers." By continually improving the program, today it ranks third out of 103 programs in the state for exam pass rates.

Other faculty admire Patricia's teaching methods.

"Her number one priority in teaching these student nurse aides is the enormous impact they will have on the patients … ," one colleague wrote. "She takes that responsibility very seriously and somehow manages to instill in her students the honor and integrity needed to fulfill that role. Many students have described Patricia's class as life-changing."

Her students appreciate her methods.

"In her understanding and expectation of excellence, she has afforded the patients her students care for a better quality of life," wrote on student. Another wrote, "In the event that I require the care of a CNA, I pray that I am fortunate enough to get one that was trained in a program like Patricia Graham's."