With a Little "Health" from My Friends
by Brandon Bright, Health Assistant Senior
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Perhaps now, maybe the junior high students in Lawrence County might have a direction for their future.
On November 14th, approximately 900 eighth grade students from across Lawrence County traveled to the Scottish Rite Cathedral in New Castle, PA to attend the annual Health Career Fair; their objective was to explore careers in health.
LCCTC’s own Health Assisting shop gathered with other Nursing Schools and health-related employers to show the students what a career would look like. Health Assistant Seniors Brandon Bright, Taylor Lindey, Alyssa Edinger and Dasia Florence along with shop instructor Mr. Pavia worked the HA booth as the only high school-based health care learning program available in the county.
At the Health Assistant table, these junior high school students could learn important lessons from each LCCTC senior. Brandon Bright was able to teach students when CPR is needed, how to keep an airway open, and the proper hand motion for successful compression for both adults and infants. “Helping young students in my community know a few basics about CPR is a good feeling. It could mean the difference between life and death,” Brandon states. “Perhaps having this basic understanding will give them the prior knowledge they need, if they ever need it.”
Taylor Lindey gave the basics on how to check pulses and educated on the normal pulse rates. Taylor showed students how to check for a pulse on two sites: a radial pulse on the wrist -- one of the most vital pulse sites and the carotid artery on the neck. Taylor states, “I was excited to have the opportunity to share my knowledge with others and to show others some of the skills we learn at my school.”
Seniors Alyssa Edinger and Dasia Florence teamed up to work the Electrocardiogram (EKG) machine. Dasia demonstrated the automatic blood pressure cuff and pulse oximeter on students who came to the table. She educated students on what is considered to be a good blood pressure rating and proper oxygen percentage level. Dasia expresses, “I enjoyed being able to teach the students in the community; it was also good practice for me and increases my skill.”
Alyssa performed four lead ECGs on student placing leads on the students’ wrists and ankles to get a preview of four different views of heat in motion. When each student volunteer received a small ECG print out, Alyssa explained that each spike on each line was the heart contracting and pumping blood through the heart and to the rest of the body. Alyssa liked what she did saying, “Not only was it a fun and enjoyable day, I may have been instrumental in helping students with their decision to join the healthcare field.”
Knowing CPR, blood pressure ranges, oxygen levels and a few basics about an EKG may become vitally important if the student encountered an unresponsive person in their community. As a result of the Healthcare Fair, students have been made aware of their own personal health needs, they may have a little prior knowledge they might need to help someone in crisis, and now they know what the Health Assisting shop at LCCTC can offer them even while they continue their studies in high school, and they did this with a little “health” from our friends at LCCTC.
