Page 9 - TTWISpring2023

Health
teaching today Wisconsin | Spring 2023, Volume 1 Page 9

Sun Prairie Students Getting a Head Start in Health Care

assistant. The students
have up to a year from
the end of this semester
to take their state exam.
Some students said
they joined the class
to begin their health
care journey because
they want to be better
equipped to help people.
“I want to go to
medical school for pedi-
atrics to work with kids
because I want to help
them and just help the
world be a better place,”
Ten students at Sun Prairie West High percent effort. If you want to actually pursue CNA student Nathan
School wrapped up their dual enrollment a career in this, you have to be dedicated.” Tedjakusuma said.
course at the end of last semester to become The students complete mandatory labs Te d j a k u s u m a ’s
a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). and clinicals in order to pass the class. Labs classmate, Bella Aisha Kebbeh uses a gate belt to transfer classmate Olivia Norton
They are training to be CNAs and are run for three hours at a time after school and Navarrete, had a similar from the hospital bed to wheelchair
earning college credit while still in high give students the opportunity to practice response. The nursing assistant class is a prerequi-
school. their skills learned in the online instruction. “I joined this class because I want to be site for any students wanting to get into their
Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Following labs, each student completes a trauma nurse or surgeon in an emergency nursing programs. It’s also a stepping stone
Jordan Leider said. “In order to be certi- 24 hours of clinicals at a rehabilitation room,” Navarrete said. “I like hands-on to many other health care professions. The
fied by the state to run a class like this, we clinic under the supervision of a college work and helping people.” students in the class have a diverse range of
needed the hospital beds, sinks, and a certain nursing instructor and staff nurses. Students According to Leider, not many schools goals and aspirations for themselves in the
level of equipment. We also have full-sized complete these hours on weekends or week- offer a dual enrollment program to become a future, from careers in sports medicine and
geriatric manikins.” nights. CNA as young as 16 years old. nurse practitioner, to trauma surgeon and
Students learn and practice important “Clinical experience is vital at a young “A lot of schools that have it will send pediatrics.
skills needed in the workforce to be able age,” Leider said. “Our district covers a their kids over to a technical college rather
to attend to a patient’s everyday needs. majority of the costs of the course includ- than have the college come to them,” Leider Courtesy of the WI DPI and the origi-
This includes repositioning a patient in ing tuition, books and test reimbursement. said. nal story by Jeromey Hodsdon ran in the Sun
their bed, bathing, dressing, transporting This can save students close to $1,000 out Multiple students agreed and said they Prairie Star on January 13, 2023.
a patient, taking blood pressures, tempera- of pocket and set them up with a job/career have many friends in other school districts
tures, feeding and maintaining the patient’s option starting $20 plus an hour in a very that wish they had a class like this.
hygiene. The students practice these skills high-need position.” “I feel very fortunate that we get to do sunprairieschools.org
on each other in class. All 10 students did well this last semes- this,” CNA student Anya Yang said. “I have
“This class requires commitment ter and passed their labs and clinicals. They friends that go to other schools that want to
and dedication,” CNA student Ashwath can now register to take the state exam that do something like this but it isn’t offered so
vijayaraghavan said. “You can’t just give 50 would officially certify them as a nursing I feel really lucky.”

oconomowoc High School Students take

Virtual Field trip Inside the Human Heart

Continued from Page 8

to the operating room, and ask real-time ques- sionist was, but after attending the field trip, I
tions to various members of the surgical team. will be considering that career while going on
The students were captivated by the to college.”
experience. Chelsea, a 12th grade student, The field trip was facilitated by the health
said, “I enjoyed hearing the descriptions of sciences teachers and administrative assistants
the surgical team talking through and showing at Oconomowoc High School. The high school
what they were doing. I was in awe while has been offering this opportunity to students
watching the vein get sutured to the heart. for a few years and hopes to continue as long
Watching the scope view of the vein extrac- as it’s on offer.
tion was amazing. I had no idea how intense Courtesy of the WI DPI
and physically demanding surgery can be for
the surgical team!”
Olivia, another 12th grade student who
took part, said, “Learning about the various
occupations involved in heart surgery was www.oasd.k12.wi.us
very interesting. I had no idea what a perfu-
Bella Navarette provides oral care to fellow CNA student Anya Yang