Health Occupations students and Nurse Aide Trainees started their clinical experience last Friday. The AM students are at Masonic Villages of Sewickley with Clinical Instructor, Mrs. Michelle Brosky, RN. The PM students are at Beaver Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Hopewell/Aliquippa. Their instructor is Health Occupations alumni from Rochester Area School District, Mrs. Carrie Collins, LPN. Students rotate each site for several experiences and will sit for the PA Nurse Aide Exam for placement on the PA Nurse Aide Registry in Spring of 2020.
So what do the students think of this transition in their program?
Justin Ruckert from Freedom plans on becoming a Radiologist. He states, “The hands-on practice learned in the program will allow me to put my skills to the test and gain valuable experience. I am ready to care for my patients because I feel prepared.”
Annaka Duzan from Western Beaver plans on becoming an ER Doctor. She states, “This is my first time working with live patients and at first I was nervous. But as the day went on, it became easier because I knew how to perform the skills required for the task given. I like working the patients and offering compassionate care.
Haley Sterling from Ambridge plans on becoming an ER Nurse. She states, “When doing clinical, you are truly able to perform the skills taught in the program, like the safe transfer of a patient and how to properly care for them.”
Students are required to have care plans for each of their assigned patients and review those plans with the Clinical Supervisors. The rest of this year, 18 students will finally be able to use their skills learned in their program to care for someone in need… and they are more than happy to do just that.
Colton Ball from New Brighton plans to become an RN. He adds after his first day of clinicals, “I felt more prepared and more aware of what to do for a patient’s comfort because of my education in Health Occupations. That very day, I was able to recognize a patient’s discomfort and was able to calmly direct another student from my class to notify a professional staff person while I waited with the patient.”
Emily Kunzmann and Aracely Chace-Escobedo, both from Central Valley, are excited to have made it to this stage in their high school education.
Emily, who plans on becoming a Lactate Consultant and/or a Labor & Delivery RN enjoyed doing the Community Based Learning (volunteer hours) during her junior year at the facility she’s currently doing clinicals in now. She said, “Because of my familiarity with the facility and some of the residents, it made me feel more at ease. ‘Cairns’ prepares us with the skills in our program so that we can apply them at clinical. I felt prepared my first day.”
Aracely has her sites on becoming a Neonatal RN and she adds, “Clinicals are an eye-opening experience that teaches us new things that a class cannot teach – only experience can – but I am ready to help my patents because of my instruction from Health Occupations. This program helped me to solidify that I want to be an RN in my future.
Health Occupations, a CCBC Pathways Program, is taught by Ms. Theresa Cairns, MSN/MsED/RN with Instructional Assistant, Ms. Izzy Mitsch, CNA.
