Passion, Purpose, and Perspective: The Story of Allied Health

Before she founded Allied Health Career Training (AHCT), Dianne Powell simply wanted to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. She began as a CNA in 1990 then continued to make steady progress, which provided added motivation and inspiration. “I ended up doing very well, and every step of that empowered me, and it helped me move up,” she said. Ultimately, Powell would come to revolutionize how CNAs, medical assistants, technicians, and others are prepared to provide care. She recently shared her inspirational journey on Experience Care’s LTC Heroes podcast:

Upon learning of a major staffing crisis in nursing, Powell shifted her focus from providing care to preparing others to do so. “I was shocked that there wasn’t enough staff,” she said. “So I thought, I should teach.”  That is why, in 2011, she founded Allied Health Career Training in Wichita Kansas, an organization that places an emphasis on providing high-quality and affordable education to a wide range of specialized caretakers.

Allied prides itself on making the dream of gaining an education a reality for almost anyone. Every single student graduates Allied debt free. Additionally, classes are flexible and accommodate the schedules of students. “So many people come to us when they’re in situations where they don’t have the time or the money,” Powell said. “They sometimes have to work full-time, or they’ve got kids, or they’ve got other stuff going on. Life’s difficult for them, so I try to make the class as fast, focused, fun, and as affordable as possible.”

During the process of her own CNA training, Powell took note of the challenges and pitfalls and imagined potential solutions. Now she has a platform that allows her to facilitate the process for others, and she is seizing that opportunity. “I wanted to give back,” she said. “I want to show others how this works.”