SOWELA Technical
Community College
SOWELA Technical College Clinical Training Program
Building Healthcare Career Pathways for a Healthier SWLA.
Our partnership with SOWELA Technical Community College expands workforce development across critical allied health and clinical disciplines. Memorial proudly provides clinical training sites and real-world leading opportunities that allow students to build skills, confidence, and professional pathways close to home.
Through this collaboration, we support:
- LPN-to-RN programs
- Clinical training for allied health programs
- Hands-on experience in hospital and clinical settings
- Workforce pipeline that meets regional healthcare needs.
- Preceptor program for new nurses
Memorial’s partnership with SOWELA closely resembles our partnership with the nursing program at McNeese. Unlike other area hospitals, Memorial nursing students partner directly with a registered nurse for real-work, expert level training.
Within each partnership, the Nurse Extern Program is a highlight. Through this program, nursing students rotate through various floors and are paid for their time. At any given time, Memorial has over 80 nurse externs from various nursing schools, including SOWELA. Students can participate for up to four semesters and often begin during their clinical semester.
Allied Health Career Training
In addition to the nursing program, Memorial supports other healthcare training-to-career pipelines by providing faculty and training for:
- Sterile processing
- Scrub technicians
- Respiratory therapy
Memorial also provides clinical participation for SOWELA’s advisory board, and a simulation program used by both LSU residents and SOWELA students.....
Training the Healthcare Workers of Tomorrow
Training the next generation of healthcare providers is a fundamental element to providing expert, comprehensive care to SWLA. Memorial's partnership with SOWELA is creating a pathway to help students learn, train, and build careers right here - close to home.
Students at SOWELA gain valuable hands-on experience in real clinical setting, working alongside professionals who serve as mentors and instructors. From nursing and respiratory therapy to sterile process, students gain practical knowledge and skills that simply cannot be learned in a classroom setting alone.
Memorial's commitment extends beyond clinical rotations. Through preceptor support, advisory board participation and workforce development initiatives, Memorial is helping grow SWLA workforce by expanding opportunities to expand the pathway from education to employment. By investing in education and workforce development today, Memorial and SOWELA are helping create a stronger, healthier Southwest Louisiana.
Respiratory Therapy Clinical Partnership
As respiratory therapy continues to increase in size across the healthcare industry, so does the need for trained therapist. Memorial's partnership with SOWELA plays an important role providing students with meaningful clinical experiences that prepare them for the realities of patient care.
This partnerships represents the first respiratory therapy clinical training opportunity of its kind for SOWLA students, creating a direct connection between classroom instruction and hands-on patient care.
Memorial provides a pathway for respiratory students to work alongside experienced therapist - allowing them to gain exposure to respiratory assessment, oxygen therapy, ventilator management, emergency response, critical care services, and patient education - as well as how to effectively collaborate with physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals to ensure patients get the best care.
Trained Students Provide Better Patient Outcomes
Clinical rotations are critical to allow students to build confidence, strengthen clinical decision making skills, and develop professional competencies needed to work successfully in the fast-paced and challenges world of healthcare. Most important, this partnership allows for Memorial to "grow our own" - providing local students with the opportunities to learn within the community that they may one serve. This is a vital element of creating talent retention and increasing the quality of life for current and future generations of Southwest Louisiana.
By serving as the clinical training partner for SOWELA's healthcare professionals, Memorial is helping develop the next generation of specialized care professionals while strengthen access to specialty care throughout the region.