Academy for Practical Nursing & Health Occupations

This school was established in 1978 and incorporated with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, as the Nurse Assistant Training School, Inc. d/b/a Academy for Practical Nursing and Health Occupations in West Palm Beach, Florida to provide education, career opportunities and student development due to a dire need for workers in the health care field. It was established to offer vocational and non-vocational programs to the workforce community through training programs and activities designed to improve job skills and to secure and retain health care jobs. It intended to provide new career opportunities for students willing to apply themselves to improve their quality of life.

Since 1990, the School's direction was assumed by Mrs. Lois M. Gackenheimer, Registered Nurse and Licensed Nursing Home Administrator. Under her direction, the School expanded its staff, facilities, and curriculum to offer education not only in Nurse Assisting, but Home Health Care, Patient Care Assisting, Self Improvement Skills, and Medical Ethics. These changes reflected Mrs. Gackenheimer's progressive vision of the direction Health Care employment would take and the resulting broadened roles and responsibilities health care workers would be expected to fulfill. Since 1992, the School has been a Chapter of the Health Occupations Students of America Organization and an American Heart Association Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Training Center for Palm Beach County. In 1996, the School expanded even further to include education in areas such as Rehab/Restorative Nursing, Phlebotomy, and Electrocardiography, thereby creating a well rounded Patient Care Assistant and Patient Care Technician Program. In 1997, the School began its first class of Practical Nursing students, and in 1999 broadened its Health Occupations Programs to include Medical Assistant, Health Unit Coordinator/Medical Secretary, and Pharmacy Technician. Continuing to answer Health Care Employers needs, the School added Rehab/Restorative Assistant and Psychiatric Technician Programs in 2000, as well as Computer Technology Classes in 2001.

Today, the School proudly counts its graduates to number over 4,000 men and women from the ages of 18 to over 90 years of age, with over 80% of its graduates obtaining employment in the Health Care Field.

This school was established in 1978 and incorporated with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, as the Nurse Assistant Training School, Inc. d/b/a Academy for Practical Nursing and Health Occupations in West Palm Beach, Florida to provide education, career opportunities and student development due to a dire nee......