Many South Dakota high schools continue to expand their career and technical education programs. At Madison High School, a new program offers students valuable hands-on experience at a local nursing home. The goal? To give them a head start on a future in healthcare.
Madison High School is gaining a regional reputation for its career and tech ed programs. They’re a point of pride for the school, but career adviser Lori Christensen says something was missing.
“The health science track was kind of an area we’ve always been lacking.”
She says they’ve had strong science and computer science programs, but there was still a niche in their community their programs weren’t serving.
“We needed to put that health science cluster in, ‘cus we have a standalone hospital and two nursing homes in town here that we are feeding kids out into those jobs. And we’re not giving them any high school basis in it,” explains Christensen.
The school wanted to bolster the health sciences program without hiring a dedicated instructor. A partnership with Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown allows students to earn both high school and college credits training as Certified Nursing Assistants - known as CNAs. The high schoolers earn up to three college credits that can transfer to other tech schools and fulfill requirements for many two-year Licensed Practical Nursing program.
Students work with an instructor online as part of their class schedule. Recently, Madison High School partnered with Bethel Lutheran Home to provide clinical instruction. Christensen explains the class is limited to a small group.
“We have an agreement with them that we won’t send them more than like three a semester, cus we don’t want to overload them," she says. "They’re training their own staff too.”
But that’s part of the partnership’s appeal for Bethel. While students aren’t required to work at the home when the program is done, they do encourage that option. Emily Hofman is the staff development coordinator and therapy nurse at the home. She says they have a hard time recruiting CNAs--who are a critical part of the care team.
“We’re very proud of the work that they do because they’re the hands and feet of Bethel. So you want the good aides," says Hofman. "And if you can train them that way, it’s even better.”
Once a week, Hofman mentors the high school students as they help residents eat dinner and get ready for bed.
“How do you wash someone up, how do you wash teeth, how do you brush dentures, safely transferring people. So you’re getting all those aspects in one learning session,” she explains.
Those are the hands-on, interpersonal aspects of healthcare that no textbook can truly capture. And that makes the experience valuable for students interested in the field.
Olivia Nugent is a junior. She wants to become a registered nurse, and heard that CNA experience can help her get into nursing programs. She was a little nervous at first about working at Bethel, but it turned out to be the best part of the class.
“I like getting the hands on practice like getting to work with the residents. And it’s not just a learning experience," she says. "You’re creating bonds with the residents too.”
Nugent’s classmates are also juniors. Kendra Leighton is interested in nursing and loves getting to meet new people.
“It makes your life a lot better ‘cus you’re helping that person. And they, like, truly, honestly thank you for it,” she adds.
And while Claire Boyco was most interested in learning medical procedures, she’s learned patient skills from the residents that will help her become a doctor.
“And yeah, you do make a lot of bonds with them. I feel like I’m gonna miss them a lot when the course is over," she says.
Those bonds are part of what makes the field so rewarding to Emily Hofman.
“It’s just those little relationships you build, you know. In that moment that resident may not know who you are, or why you’re here, but in the end they’re happy they’re well taken care of. And that smile that they may give you is all you need to know that it’s been a good night," says Hofman.
Those relationships help CNA’s provide personalized care in simple ways.
“Maybe they need some red lipstick on today or it’s the jewelry. But what to us is miniscule is huge to them,” Hofman explains.
She tells students to care for residents like they’re caring for their own grandparents. It’s a very personal example: Hofman’s grandmother was one of the residents at Bethel.
“But I also have 58 other people who are just like a grandma or a grandpa to me," she explains. "So you build that relationship and that family which is something that you’ll never forget. You’ll never forget that.”
As this semester is winding down, three more students are signed up for the program next semester. The course is open to students whether they plan to continue onto a college nursing program or not. Hofman says the skills students learn at Bethel can follow them anywhere they choose to work.
“Even if those girls or those guys don’t stay to work here, to know that we are preparing them for the future--for whatever career that they choose down in the healthcare field is rewarding.”
At the end of the course, students can elect to take the CNA exam and become certified. All three students this semester say they plan to test, and two plan to work as CNAs in the future.
