RB students study ‘pioneers of healthcare’
Health students, left to right, include Alexis Tabbs, Chloe Hall, Megan Wicker, Kirsten Scott, Lila Blackburn and Gage Brewer.
By Brandi Miller for the FCT
The demand for workers in the healthcare field is increasing daily and is predicted to increase even more in the coming years. Because of this, many students have chosen to pursue the healthcare field. Eighth grade health career teacher Dr. Kay Hargett has been making sure her students are prepared at an early age if the healthcare field is in their future.
The past two weeks, Health Career students have been studying the pioneers of healthcare to help them understand the importance of those who contributed so much to the field. Each eighth grade student selected a pioneer of healthcare to study and then prepared a formal presentation. The students reviewed healthcare pioneers such as Clara Barton, Florence Nightingale, Louis Pasteur and Elizabeth Blackwell, to name a few. As part of the formal presentation, the students also dressed the part of their character, wearing clothes and other paraphernalia that was unique to the time period.
“The eighth grade health career program is a new program this year at RBHS,” said Hargett. “This program is designed to introduce eighth grade students to various healthcare fields such as nursing, physician, pharmacist, physical therapist, EMT and paramedic.”
Besides studying about the pioneers of healthcare and the different fields of healthcare, students are also learning how to prepare resumes and cover letters and how to participate in an interview process. All of these skills are necessary for a student to be successful in the healthcare field or any field.
“It is my goal as the teacher of this class for the students to learn as much as possible about the healthcare industry in order to become familiar with all aspects related to various professional fields of healthcare,” said Hargett.
Throughout the school year, students in Health Career class will have the opportunity to listen to presentations by healthcare professionals as well as participate in hands-on clinical health care procedures, such as learning how to take vital signs, blood pressure, pulse, temperatures, respirations and more. Students will also have the opportunity to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
