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| Rebecca Burns, RN, BSN, Inpatient Director demonstrates how to administer an injection |
Horn Memorial Hospital and Northwest Iowa Area Health Education Center (NWI AHEC) partnered to present the annual “Experience Health” occupation exploration day on November 15th, 2012 at Horn Memorial Hospital. Micki Paulsen, NWI AHEC recruitment coordinator and Jo Hayes, nursing director at Horn Memorial Hospital, worked together to coordinate the event. Students from OA-BCIG, River Valley and Ridgeview Schools, attended an eight hour activity packed day at the Horn Memorial Hospital to explore a multitude of different careers available to students in healthcare. Various local healthcare professionals were involved to extend knowledge of their chosen occupation and the benefits of working in a rural hospital or health environment.
Adult participant experts of all areas of health/hospital services were present to address students’ questions and inquiries of future occupation choices. In the full day of activities, healthcare professionals and students involved themselves in various hands-on activities and discussions including the following topics:
What happens in your department in this facility? What do you do during the day?
How to choose a health career area to study?
What education is required?
How to prepare in high school for college curriculum?
What are the best and the least interesting parts of this occupation?
Students rotated through the Emergency Room, Ambulance, Occupational Therapy, Laboratory, Pharmacy, Surgery, Physical Therapy, Radiology, Nursing and Public Health, Home Health and Hospice where they engaged in hands-on activities. Some of the activities included: intubation of a mannequin, giving a health assessment of a “patient”, injections and BP checks, sterile environment and gowning, use of splints in OT, viewing unique X-Rays and CT Scans and some super lab activities of drawing blood on a “fake arm”, urine analysis and other exciting hands-on lab activities.
The mission of Northwest Iowa Area Health Education Center is to “grow our own” quality healthcare workforce. The intent is to recruit youth into healthcare professions, assist youth with pre-professional training, and then provide continuing education to retain professionals in rural
communities. Northwest Iowa Area Health Education Center strives to establish partnerships with local professionals and healthcare facilities to coordinate opportunities like “Experience Health” days for area youth. NWI AHEC programs provide opportunities for student exploration of the multitude of occupational opportunities in the healthcare field.
Some quotes from the student who participated in the “Health Experience!” event at Horn Memorial Hospital are below:
· “It was AWESOME!”
· “You learn about what types of things you could do in the medical field and you learn which one would fit you the most.”
· “Helped with deciding where to go for schooling.”
· “It helped me see that there are many options.”
· “It really helped me understand what some occupations were about.”
· “I find at smaller hospitals, the people are nicer and more pleasant.”
· “It puts a lot of things into perspective.”
· “It gives good information to help decide if you’re right for the medical field.”
· “Very informational, loved the hands on.”
