Edison College Respiratory Program Receives Top Honor
Jul 10, 2008
Edison College's Respiratory Care program has been honored by the American Lung Association of Florida - Gulfcoast Area as the organization's 2007-2008 Southwest Region Community Partner of the Year.
In accepting the award along with Sindee Karpel, Clinical Coordinator and Donna Meredith, 2008 Respiratory Care Class President, Program Coordinator Dr. Jeff Elsberry said, "I am honored to accept this award on behalf of the Program; however, the full credit goes to the students who donated their time to support the fund raising and pubilc education efforts of the American Lung Association during 2007 and 2008."
The American Lung Association affiliate was instrumental in establishing Edison College's Respiratory Therapy Program in 1983 to address a critical shortage for respiratory therapists in southwest Florida. Representatives from both entities made the rounds seeking support from hospital officials to convince them to spend recruitment dollars on a program which could "grow our own" respiratory therapists at Edison College. Twenty-five years later, the program has graduated 430 Respiratory Therapists, most of whom found employment in area hospitals and health care agencies that provide Respiratory Care services.
This program's successful funding model led to similar partnerships between the college and local health care providers to help defray the high educational costs in the cardiovascular, nursing and dental hygiene programs.
A photo of Edison College Respiratory Care representatives accepting the award from the American Lung Association of Florida may be viewed at the following link: http://www.edison.edu/communications/2008_annual_awards_edison.jpg [L to R] Donna Meredith, 2008 Respiratory Care Class President; Dr. Jeff Elsberry, Program Coordinator; Sindee Karpel, Program Clinical Coordinator; and Kurt Goerke, ALAF Gulfcoast Area Coordinator.
Edison College serves a five-county area with campuses in Lee, Charlotte and Collier counties, a center serving Hendry/Glades counties, and through Edison Online. For additional information call 1-9=800-749-2322 or visit www.edison.edu.
Last Updated: July 10, 2008
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