By Taylor Drake
Health career class help students learn about the career that they are interested in, acquire hands-on work experience, and the skills they need to have in the health field of their choice.
Beds for students who are not feeling well. Photo by: Taylor Drake
The health career classes at Plymouth High School are taught by Mrs. Kathy Berg and Mrs. Jona Cartwright. Mrs. Berg has an associates degree. “It took me longer than the average student, as I did not go back to college until after I had a family,” says Mrs. Berg. Also Mrs. Cartwright has a bachelor of science in nursing. “I took steps to get my degree. First worked as a medical assistant, then got my L.P.N., bridge program to get A.S.N., and finally completion program to get my B.S.N,” said Mrs. Cartwright. She has now been teaching Health Careers for seven years. Mrs. Berg teaches a Certified Nursing Assistant Prep Course (C.N.A.) and Mrs. Cartwright teaches Medical Terminology Health Careers I.
The classes that are taught by Mrs. Cartwright and Mrs. Berg are Nursing, Doctor, Therapist (O.T., P.T., Speech), Laboratory Technicians, Radiography Technicians, Aide, Veterinary Medicine, Dental Medicine, and E.M.T./Paramedic. Junior Kayla Hoober said that she is pursuing a career in physical therapy, psychology, or obstetrics. She said she would want to work in these careers because “physical therapy- past small injuries and what happens when people become injured, psychology- I like to figure out what is going through people’s minds and mental illness intrigue me, obstetrics- I’ve seen many things in hospitals with this field and friends who work in hospital
and I think I’d love working with the moms and babies.” Every field has specialty degrees or certifications. Each class has between twenty and twenty-six students. “There are 30 lessons and 72 skills that have to be mastered before they test with the state at the end of the year” says Mrs. Berg. Medical Terminology teaches students the basic medical language. Health Careers I teaches
Scales in the nurses office. Photo By: Taylor Drake
students how to care for patients, such as, taking vitals, making beds, transfers, walking, and feeding. In Health Career I and Health Careers II the class is a one trimester class, two periods a day, and is for two credits. Health Careers I is for juniors and seniors in high school, and Health Careers II is only for seniors. It is recommended that students take Biology, Chemistry, Algebra I, and Algebra II before or while they are taking the Health Career classes.
Health Career I students learn the entry level skills for specific careers such as: patient nursing care, dental care, animal care, medical laboratory, and public health. This class can accommodate twenty students, teaching forty students total throughout the course. This course includes health care systems, anatomy, and physiology; it builds students’ knowledge of the health care system and hands on laboratory work. Successful completion of this course provides students with certificates of technical achievement in bioscience and health occupations.
Students in Health Career Class students learning how to properly make a hospital bed Photo By: Taylor Drake
Health Career II is located at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth High School and Knox High School. This class can accommodate 14 students per class, teaching 28 students in one course. All students are responsible for their own transportation to and from each of these locations. Health Career II is a class specifically for students wishing to be a CNA, dental aide, veterinary aide, medical-clerical aide, or laboratory aide. Students may have a simulated in-school laboratory experience and extended laboratory experience. Each laboratory experience is tailored to each student’s career and placement objectives in their health occupation. Taking these classes can help students complete college credits and achieve a better understanding of the health profession.