On the first day of Health Academy, I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I got to Via Christi St. Francis and found my way to the classroom. We got to meet our instructor, Mrs. Clarke-Hang, and also the rest of our class. We started off introducing each other by saying what area we are most interested in and something about us. A couple days later, we got a tour of both Via Christi St. Francis and Via Christi St. Joseph which was very helpful. We had speakers come in and teach us all about the HIPPA policy and what all to expect in Health Academy. We also did some research over five careers that we are most interested in which helped us a lot. After the first week of Health Academy, I was very excited for the rest of the semester.

For this week’s rotation I went to Radiology. I really liked it. It was amazing how you could see everything inside the body. It was really cool when I saw a feeding tube be put in to a patient. While I was there, a nine day old baby that had an aneurism had to get a chest x-ray, which was really sad. Also the people I was with were very nice too. So far radiology has been my favorite rotation! I am very much considering a future in this field.

This week I was at the Emergency Room at St. Francis. I loved this rotation! My mentors were so nice and informative! While I was there, there was a situation with the ambulances parked and not moving like they were supposed to. They had a code red coming in and there were three ambulances in the way. My mentor was able to let me watch how situations like that are handled. I was also able to see a head trauma as well. This old man had fallen about a week ago and they had to take all necessary precautions, which was admitting him as a head trauma. Being in the ER was so fun and I could maybe see a future in it, but I’m still not sure.  

This week I went to the OR. I thought that it was going to be disgusting but it turned out to be pretty awesome. I was able to see a lumpectomy of the breast, a tumor being removed from behind the eye which was very rare the doctor said, and I saw a total hip replacement. I had an awesome time and it was a great rotation.

This week I went to the PICU. It was a very relaxing unit. I saw a 17 year old who was there because her potassium got very low and had to be hospitalized to balance it out because if your body gets too much potassium it can stop your heart. I also saw a 2 year old that got into his brothers ADHD medications and had to go to the hospital because of it. Another patient has severe asthma and doesn’t do the appropriate health care at home and now has to on 24 hour breathing treatments. The nursing staff was really nice and was able to teach me a lot about the unit. I liked this rotation and I was glad that a got a good mentor.

This rotation I went to the NICU. I was very excited because that is the area I am most interested in. The first day, I watched a slideshow over the unit. Then my nurse showed me around the unit and showed me what machines they use and how to read a flow sheet. The second day I was able to watch a surgery on a baby that was happening in the unit. Then I was able to watch the nurse do an assessment on a baby as well. I really enjoyed this rotation and I loved the NICU.

In class, we learned how to take someone's blood pressure with a stethoscope and how to test peoples reflexes with certain instruments. I am glad we learned it because it is very helpful to know how to do that.

Registered Nurse- I am interested in becoming a nurse because they are able to treat and educate patients on certain conditions, provide advice and support to patient’s family members. They are also able to help perform diagnostics tests and analyze results, administer treatment and medications, operate medical machinery, and help with patient follow up and rehabilitation. I am most interested in this profession because I have been around a family of nurses all my life. The school requirements for acceptance are taking college courses that focus on the sciences in high school and you must have a high school diploma. There are three different requirements you can take for completion which are a bachelor's of science degree in nursing (BSN), an associate degree in nursing (ADN), and a diploma. They are all ranging from two to four years to complete. You must also graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing license. Other experiences that would benefit you in becoming a nurse are nurses should be caring, sympathetic, responsible, and detail oriented. They must be able to direct or supervise others, correctly assess patients' conditions, and determine when consultation is required. They need emotional stability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stresses. Volunteering is also a great way to experience the excitement of being a nurse.

Certified Medical Assistant- I am interested in becoming a certified medical assistant because they are able to perform a wide variety of tasks in the health field. By becoming a medical assistant, you would be able to take your long term career in any direction you prefer. Also medical assistants are a high demand profession. Becoming a CMA would allow me to go in any direction I most enjoy which that in itself is very rewarding. The school requirements for acceptance are to complete high school with courses in physical science, biology, office management, human relations, and communications, but medical assistant training may accept GED certifications as well. The requirements for completion are formal training which is offered in schools of technology or community colleges. Technology programs take a year or less to complete and community college programs are about two years in length, but they award an associate degree. Students in these educational programs must take courses in anatomy, medical terminology, pharmacology, physiology, clinical procedures, insurance coding and billing, word processing, transcription, administrative office procedures, and basic laboratory procedures, which include radiology procedures, emergency procedures, and medical office management. Other experiences that would benefit you are volunteering which is a great way to get a good experience of how the job works. Shadowing is also great because you are able to follow someone who already has the job you are interested in.

Physical Therapy Assistant- I am somewhat interested in becoming a physical therapy assistant because they are able to work under the physical therapists and are able to help patients restore bodily functions, relieve pain after illness or injury, and prevent permanent disability. They also work in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, physicians’ offices, rehabilitation centers which is good because you are more open than just working in a hospital. I enjoy helping people if they are hurt because that is when they are the most dedicated and ready to get back to their life and I would love working with that kind of excitement. The school requirements for acceptance are that you must take challenging math, science, and English courses in high school. Also are required to have certification in CPR and other first aid, and clinical experience and have a high school diploma. The requirements for completion are that most states require students to earn an associate’s degree and pass a certification examination and complete necessary training. The work experience that would benefit you is volunteering for physical the therapy physicians and must be good with people and have patience to work in this field.

Ultrasound Technologists- I am also somewhat interested in becoming an ultrasound technologist because ultrasound technologists work with equipment that directs very high frequency sound waves into the body tissues to produce images of diseased masses, internal organs, and fetuses. Some technologists specialize in examining certain areas of the body, such as the brain, the heart, and the pelvis. I love working with babies because the miracle of life is amazing and I have always been intrigued by it. The school requirements for acceptance are a high school diploma and they should take the most challenging science, math, and English courses available in high school. The requirements for completion are to be completed in one to four years depending on prior work experience.  They also must pass annual certification tests after completing training. The work experience that would benefit you is volunteering and shadowing to be able to see how the professionals are able to perform their job.

Veterinarian– I am somewhat interested in becoming a veterinarian because they are able to diagnose, treat, and control diseases of animals.  Many specialize in specific types of animals, like pets, livestock, or large animals.  They give vaccinations, set bones, perform surgery, and educate animal owners. Part of me has always wanted to be a veterinarian because growing up I have loved animals and would love to take care of them as well. The school requirements for acceptance are that they should have a high school diploma and should take the most challenging science, math, and English courses in high school including AP classes. The requirements for completion are that veterinarians must earn a graduate degree in veterinary medicine from an accredited university and pass both national and state examinations before being issued a license to practice. Graduate veterinary medicine programs are very selective and applicants must have done very well in a pre-veterinary undergraduate program to be eligible for admission. The work experience that would benefit you are shadowing a veterinarian and volunteering for their practices.

I volunteered at the Via Christi Golf Classic during the afternoon. We watched the golfers and told them the information about the hole they were on. It was very fun to be there and to volunteer. I also baked cookies for certain areas of the hospital as well.

When I graduate I will be attending Kansas State University and majoring in Pre-Nursing. I also plan to rush and join a sorority.

I am very sad that Health Academy is coming to an end. I enjoyed every bit of it, especially the rotations. I am very grateful I was selected to enroll in this course and got the opportunity to learn about all areas of the hospital. With out this class I would not have the professionalism and experience that I gained from being in Health Academy. Thank you again Mrs. Hang for all your help and especially for this opportunity.