25 January Spotlight: Lab Tech Margie Thomas assists with ICC COVID precautions January 25, 2021 By Thomas, Donna S. General 0 Margie Thomas now spends her days testing for COVID-19 at the Fulton Campus, a key component of the effort ICC continues to make to keep its community safe. But her career as a medical professional started 10 years ago when she completed a phlebotomy course at ICC. Along the way, she’s also earned PBT American Society for Clinical Pathology certification and a medical transcriptionist certificate. Her career has taken her to the North Mississippi Medical Center where she worked as a phlebotomist technician for six years and to the Magnolia Regional Health Center where she was a PT in the emergency room for two years. In today’s pandemic world, Thomas is now filling a significant need at ICC, where she was employed as the COVID lab technician last October. She clocks in at 8 a.m., Monday through Friday, and then she checks her schedule to see how many appointments she has for the day because “someone could have gotten sick and needs to be tested quickly.” Then she checks to make sure she has enough cartridges for the day, sanitizes her station and opens the door to the refurbished facility on the campus where she works until 4:30 p.m. “Most of my appointments are outside curbside. If I have students who don’t do drive up and come into the COVID house, I sanitize after each patient.” At the end of each day, she enters the patients’ results into the computer on the State website, sanitizes again and bags up all trash. Appointments, which are made through the Dean of Students or Human Resources offices, are every 15 minutes. In her role, she collects specimens from the employees and students who have been exposed or who have symptoms of the virus. She said she uses a nasal swab that takes 15 minutes to have results. Thomas said she decided to become a medical professional because she has always taken care of her family in times of sickness. She and her husband, Terry, have been married for 35 years, and they are the parents of two children, Jacqueline Lesley (Doug) and James Thomas (Keally). They have four grandchildren, Carter, 4; Camden, 3; Calvin, 2; and Collin, 8 months. “I was a phlebotomist for nine and a half years,” Thomas said. “The phlebotomist is not an easy job. Patients hate to see you coming. It is one of the most rewarding and sometimes stressful jobs in the medical field…It is an important role.” Thomas said that her medical transcription training enables her to use the terms every day, during her time when she was a patient, when taking care of her father and daughter and working in two hospitals. And, as a student in the ICC programs, she learned that each required motivation and dedication. Thomas said the two programs helped her find a way to give back. “It also made me want to do more and instilled in me to show compassion for the people I would be caring for,” she emphasized. “The programs helped me figure out what I wanted to do in life. The Phlebotomy program gives you a taste of what the medical field is about, and the Medical Transcription program gave me an understanding of all of the areas of the hospital and how dictation is so important in a patient’s medical records.” She also said she learned to be vigilant, dedicated and trustworthy, which she can and does apply to all areas of her life. Thomas’s days as a student are not over, she said. She is currently enrolled at ICC to become a medical laboratory technician or registered nurse. “I love the lab and the environment it offers for someone to work in. Being a Medical Laboratory Technician would let me stay in the environment I’m used to working in. The RN program would give me more of a chance to grow as a medical professional.” Thomas said that her current job has positives, even in the midst of a pandemic. “It’s exciting, challenging and rewarding. After having had the virus, I can explain it to my patients better and give them hope that it’s going to be okay. Also, pharmaceutical companies brought forth a new vaccine in record time.” She said that she is always asking herself if she’s being safe enough. “I believe that’s how all medical people feel at some time or other.” The greatest reward, Thomas stressed, is telling her patients that they tested negative, but the lowest moment is telling students and employees that they are positive and that they must quarantine. As far as life after COVID, Thomas said that she will be able to hug her aunt and uncle without fear that she might share the virus that could kill them, and she looks forward to the day when masks aren’t needed. As of today, we’re still affected by a global pandemic, but Thomas has advice for those considering an allied health profession. “The medical field right now is demanding, and you should make sure you are up for the task. It is also rewarding and can offer you a good life by providing for your family. You should choose it based on wanting to give back and help.” And that’s what Margie Thomas does. Every. Single. Day. Related Articles ICC inks partnership with ATS to advance Mississippi’s skilled technical workforce Itawamba Community College signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Advanced Technology Services, Jan. 19, to designate the Belden Center as one of five regional hubs for its skilled maintenance training. ATS is a leading solutions provider with more than 30 years of proven experience in reliability-centered industrial maintenance. 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She wanted to become a part of a legal team to ensure her clients that they would have an advocate in their corner.” Another student, who was the child of a bitter divorce and custody battle, wants to be a voice for the children and help ... Itawamba Community College receives $100,000 and joins 41 other schools across the US as All Within My Hands' Metallica Scholars Initiative expands in year five Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands, continues its multimillion-dollar investment in critical workforce programs at community colleges nationwide. Among the schools, Itawamba Community College was selected from a competitive pool of applicants to receive $100,000 to transform the futures of students in the community. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the recipients of the prestigious All Within My Hands grant, which will significantly impact our career education programs, providing funding for students to pursue a pathway and their best start,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College and reinforcement of the mission that students and their success are our top priority.” The Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI) was launched in 2019 by Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH), in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). The workforce initiative marks its fifth year with an ambitious expansion into new curricula. 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TimelyCare provides on-demand 24/7 service that offers virtual health and well-being to currently-enrolled students and full-time faculty and staff for free, according to Dr. Brad Boggs, vice president of Student Services, including mental and emotional support, health literacy guidance and crisis management by masters-level behavioral health professionals. “It also provides a dedicated phone line for full-time faculty and staff to reach the TimelyCare team for guidance and support in cases of student distress.” Those covered may choose the visit modality that works best for them - video, phone or video chat. The simple, flexible scheduling enables students to choose their provider, day and time as well as cancel a visit and select the next available time that works best for them. Also, students can choose to add a parent, translator or even an adviser to the conversation. According to TimelyMD, “A modern virtual care platform starts with the technology that ... ICC to partner with Get2College to offer onsite assistance with FAFSA completion Itawamba Community College is partnering with Get2College to provide onsite assistance with FAFSA completion, July 17 and 18. Times and locations are from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., July 17, Academic and Student Center room 231, Tupelo Campus; and July 18, Boggs Humanities Building room 103, Fulton Campus. The sessions are designed to assist current and incoming students with FAFSA questions and form completion. Appointments are preferred, according to Terry Bland, director of Financial Aid at ICC, but walk-ins will be accommodated. To schedule an appointment at the Fulton Campus, www.iccms.edu/FAFSAFulton or for the Tupelo Campus, www.iccms.edu/FAFSATupelo. Get2College is a college access program of the Woodward Hines Education Foundation, whose mission is to help more Mississippians obtain postsecondary credentials, college certificates and degrees that lead to meaningful employment. For more information, email finaid@iccms.edu. Comments are closed.