CSCC Feature: Nurse And Phlebotomy Instructor Dottie Monroe

Born and raised in Sweetwater, Dottie Monroe has been a nurse for almost 40 years and an educator for 25 of those years. Although she thought about becoming a veterinarian, Ms. Monroe followed in her mother’s footsteps and pursued a career in nursing.

After graduating from Sweetwater High School, Ms. Monroe worked at a local restaurant for three years. Returning to school, she earned her registered nurse degree from Roane State Community College, then her bachelor of science and master of science degrees in nursing from East Tennessee State University.

As a nurse, Ms. Monroe has worked in medical-surgical, emergency room and home health. While teaching at Sweetwater High School for 15 years, she worked part-time in the emergency room at Sweetwater Hospital. In 2012, Ms. Monroe joined the nursing department at Cleveland State Community College and has worked part-time as a nurse practitioner since then as well. Although retiring from Cleveland State in 2022, she continues teaching as an adjunct instructor.

Ms. Monroe has been part of the Cleveland State Workforce Development team for several years as an instructor for CPR and phlebotomy. The Workforce Development department provides short-term training in healthcare fields such as phlebotomy, CPR/first aid and certified nurse assistant.

"Dottie Monroe is an exceptional instructor who truly cares about investing in and passing along critical healthcare training to students in Workforce Development programs,” said Heather Brown, Cleveland State director of Workforce Development. “She is an expert instructor with years of both classroom and occupational healthcare experience. Mrs. Monroe's skillset is an asset to Cleveland State and the students we serve."

Nine students recently completed the 48-hour phlebotomy class on campus. The students developed the skills to safely perform venipunctures through classroom lecture and practice on training arms and human arms. The class ended with the National Healthcareer Association Phlebotomy Technician Certification exam.

Seven students in the phlebotomy program graduated from high school in May. Polk County High School provided funding for the four students from PCHS with an Innovative School Models grant. Four students were funded by the Rural Health Association. 

“These high school graduates chose to spend the last month of their high school careers and the first month of their adult lives training to acquire a new skill and certification for the workplace. We appreciate the dedication of these students and the partnership with their local high schools,” said Ms. Brown.
 
Ms. Monroe said, “I enjoy teaching phlebotomy because it is secondhand nature, and the students are eager to learn. It is very important to learn the skills and how it should be done safely. Safety first for patients and employees.”

Ms. Monroe and her husband, Rick, who teaches in the Advanced Technologies Department at Cleveland State, live in Monroe County. They have been married for 41 years and have three children, who are all in healthcare, and eight grandchildren.

For more information about phlebotomy or healthcare training for yourself or your employees, contact Chelsea Falana, Cleveland State Workforce specialist, at cfalana@clevelandstatecc.edu or 423-614-8742.