Anna Jannak, instructor and co-coordinator of the college’s Medical Assistant Program, presented at the American Medical Technologists 2019 conference.
A presentation given by a Moraine Valley faculty member at a national conference is evolving into a continuing education course for medical technologists across the country.
Anna Jannak, instructor and co-coordinator of the college’s Medical Assistant Program, presented at the American Medical Technologists 2019 conference, offering her expertise on ways nurses and other members of the medical profession can better treat and care for patients with hypertension.
Jannak, who started her first nursing job in 1991, is humbled by the association’s decision to transform her presentation into an e-learning course for others in the industry to earn continuing education credits.
“I feel so fortunate I can share my experiences and knowledge and all those years of stories I have with patients and other coworkers,” she said.
Her presentation resonated well with attendees.
“I spoke in a room with seating for about 90 people. All of the seats were taken, and there were people standing in the back. Some people even wanted to take pictures with me, so, yes, it went very well,” she said.
Jannak said she believes her topic was so well-received because hypertension is a common chronic disease. According to the American Heart Association, more than 80 million Americans age 20 and older—about one in three adults—have high blood pressure.
“I talked about my real experiences with patients and how to teach them to take control of their own health,” Jannak said. “It’s important to keep the lines of communication open with patients. Nobody wants to know they have hypertension. That really is a lifelong commitment to take care of yourself so we need to be sure we give patients the tools to make that commitment.”
“It’s great to see Anna’s knowledge and passion for healthcare is not only recognized at Moraine Valley, but also at the national level. This is truly a well-deserved honor for her,” said Dr. Kiana Battle, dean of Career Programs.
The e-learning course is expected to be available to members of the association in the fall.
