There are many roles that help make up caring for patients in a health care system. One of them includes a certified nursing assistant, or CNA. For high school students in Pierre, SD they’re getting hands-on experience of what this job entails thanks to a unique partnership.
Jerzye Hall and Kathryn Hostler are both planning to go into the health care field after they graduate high school.
To help them get a feel for what that might entail, they’re getting experience at Avera Maryhouse.
“Some people can walk, some cannot, so we’re helping them lift out of their bed, chair, bringing them to breakfast, and lunch and supper,” said Hostler.
Partnership Prepares Students
It’s thanks to a unique partnership between Avera, Lake Area Technical College and local high schools in Pierre.
This semester, 10 students from T.F. Riggs are enrolled in a dual credit course designed to prepare them for becoming a certified nursing assistant.
“I was like, you know what, I’ll take the opportunity and see how it is and it’s been going amazing,” said Hall.
“It helps get their feet wet to see if they even want to go into health care and the goal is to get them certified and if they choose to go on to further their degree, we hope that maybe some of them will want to come back and work here,” said registered nurse and CNA instructor, Dena Weller.
The course consists of classroom work and labs, plus on-site clinicals at Avera Maryhouse.
“There’s a lab over at Capital City campus, so on Wednesdays we go to the lab and practice our skills, practice transferring, bathing the mannequin, catheter care and vital signs. There are 24 skills they have to learn,” said Weller.
“Dena also goes over all of our notes and slides and goes pretty deep into the topic about what we are doing. She makes sure that we know everything we need and we understand what we are doing,” said Hall.
Getting Hands-On Experience
Once the coursework is complete, students then come to Avera Maryhouse where they are paired with a CNA where they get the chance to apply what they learned in the classroom to real life situations.
“You get the experience and it’s more learning more than anything,” said Hostler.
“They can see the day-to-day operations of how the nursing home flows, what it’s like to take care of someone,” said Weller.
This partnership equips students with essential skills to prepare them for their futures and build the workforce of tomorrow.
“I’ll definitely do CNA throughout college until I get my LPN, so it will be something to have for a few years,” said Hall.
“Just preparing me by talking to patients, their families, getting that hands-on work, just learning more about health care,” said Hostler.
Once students complete the course, they can take a test to earn their CNA certification. The students also earn college credit after passing the course. High school students from Yankton, Hamlin, Vermillion, Groton, and Stanley County have also participated in similar programs.
Learn more about education and career opportunities with Avera.
