OhioHealth Berger Hospital Donates Upgraded Hospital Beds to Strengthen Allied Health Training at Pickaway-Ross

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(PRCTC) – Students in the Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center Allied Health program are now training on the same type of hospital beds they will use in real-world healthcare settings, thanks to a recent equipment donation from OhioHealth Berger Hospital.

Berger Hospital donated four upgraded electric hospital beds to PRCTC’s Pickaway County Allied Health program, which is housed at the hospital. The donation came after Berger ordered new beds for its medical-surgical floor, creating the opportunity for PRCTC to receive the hospital’s gently used electric models.

The donation was initiated in late November when Stephani Adams, then- Director of Nursing at OhioHealth Berger Hospital, approached PRCTC Allied Health instructor Tammy Tipton about the possibility of accepting the beds. The offer built on a nearly decade-long working relationship between PRCTC and Berger nursing leadership.

“I was so excited to be presented with this opportunity for ‘new to us’ beds for our Allied Health program,” Tipton said. “These beds are truly a game changer for our lab and for our students.”

Within days, PRCTC leadership and maintenance staff coordinated the removal and transfer of the beds. District administrators and the Pickaway-Ross maintenance department worked smoothly to get the old beds out to make room for the newly-arrived beds. PRCTC’s previous beds were then donated to the Pickaway-Ross Adult STNA program, extending the impact of the upgrade even further.

Each year, PRCTC Allied Health juniors learn approximately 46 CNA skills, ranging from patient transfers and ambulation to proper body mechanics and safety procedures. The new electric beds allow students to practice those skills more efficiently and safely.

“With the old beds, students had to manually crank the height and lock each wheel individually,” Tipton explained. “Now, with one foot pedal, the entire bed locks, and electric height adjustment cuts our setup time in half. The side rails are also easier to operate, which saves valuable time during skills practice.” That time savings is especially important during state testing. The Ohio Department of Health CNA exam requires students to complete three to four skills within a strict 35-minute time limit.

“These beds will absolutely help students complete their testing within the required timeframe,” Tipton said. “They remove barriers that had nothing to do with a student’s actual ability to perform patient care.”

The upgraded beds will also mirror the equipment students encounter during their senior-year externships, further closing the gap between classroom training and on-the-job experience.

For the past two years, OhioHealth Berger Hospital has interviewed PRCTC Allied Health juniors each spring and has hired one junior per year as a Patient Support Assistant (PSA) on the medical-surgical floor during their senior year.

Superintendent Jonathan Davis said the donation reflects OhioHealth’s continued investment in workforce development.

“Berger not only allows our students to gain real-life learning experiences, they also allow our students to learn with the most up-to-date technology,” Davis said. “In career tech, equipment is often a significant burden, so when a partner steps up like this, it makes an incredible difference for students.”

Davis said OhioHealth Berger Hospital has become one of PRCTC’s strongest healthcare partners.

“Casey Liddy and the entire team at OhioHealth Berger have become a blue-chip business partner and truly care about our students and the future workforce of this region,” he said. “Even when they may not be able to hire every student, they are still committed to helping us create an environment that produces high-quality, trusted healthcare professionals.”

Students have already begun using the new beds in class and have responded with enthusiasm.

“Our students are super appreciative and excited to train on these,” Tammy said. “It truly raises the overall quality of our Allied Health program.”

Davis echoed that sentiment.

“Career tech is one of the best forms of education because our staff give students a strong foundation and then partner with the best employers in the state to complete their training,” he said. “Our mission says it best: life-changing opportunities, real-world education.”