NECC Respiratory Care Program graduate Heather Bompane

When friends recommended Northern Essex to Heather Bompane, she came and took a tour and realized this was the place for her. The 2008 Malden High School graduate knew she wanted to work in health care, but she wasn’t sure which program.

“My advisor told me to check out respiratory care and I am so glad I did. I loved the program from day one,” she says.

Heather graduated from NECC’s Respiratory Care Program in May of 2014 and started working full time in October at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, where she manages ventilators, responds to codes, and works in the ICU and emergency room.

“My job is really rewarding. You do a lot and feel really good at the end of the day,” she adds.

Northern Essex prepared her well for her job, she says. “NECC provided a lot of opportunities for me. The instructors and advisors are awesome and gave a lot of help. The technology available made the environment seem real. I was prepared very well for my work as a respiratory therapist at Beth Israel,” she says.

In addition to the clinicals she completed in the program which gave her real-world experience, Heather also had a student job at Lowell General Hospital. In the final year of the program, students are allowed to work under their student licenses and under the care of a respiratory therapist. “This was great, I gained skills and got paid while I finished up my classes,” Heather says.

“I loved my program, and I loved the instructors and all the support NECC provides. NECC gives you a great opportunity to start your career. You may be scared in the beginning, and it can be a long road, but it is well worth it.”