Area high schoolers REACH for health education

St. Luke Community Hospital receptionist Jasmine Bocksnick participated in the St. Luke Community Hospital REACH program two years ago. Today the 2014 Ronan High School graduate works at the hospital.

And that is precisely what REACH organizers want.

The Research and Explore Awesome Careers in Healthcare program is a once-yearly, interactive exploration day designed to show high school students what a potential health career might entail, Martha Robertson, Montana Area Health Education Center program coordinator for the University of Montana said.

This year, 40 Ronan and Charlo high school students participated in the program and spent the day visiting five hospital stations: the emergency room, radiology, laboratory, physical therapy and a dental office.

Jeff Furniss, radiology technician specializing in nuclear medicine, greeted crowds in his workspace. As he spoke to his group of students, they listened intently to his explanation of his department. 

Furniss is a 25-year veteran of nuclear medicine and as he speaks calmly to students for the fifth time that day, his words are as passionate and focused as they were the first time he uttered them earlier that morning.

In his department Furniss and his team specialize in looking at a variety of different body parts and functions in order to identify important life-changing biology, like potentially cancerous bone masses, improperly-functioning gall bladders and hearts beating at a far slower pace than they should be.

During his 20-minute talk, Furniss shared two computer screen representations of the types of tests his department performs, and what body functions they can see through the computer imaging.

In the Emergency Room another group of students interacted with two emergency professionals.

In one room split by a sliding curtain a group of students hovered around a life-sized plastic mannequin head while a hospital employee explained the process of intubation; the process of inserting a tube down the throat of a patient to help assist with mechanical breathing. 

On the room’s other side, another group of students circled a gurney holding a live volunteer. The volunteer, a high school student, waited patiently as the group’s leader demonstrated how to properly adhere an injured patient to a backboard.

Students manipulated their volunteer’s head into just the right position. Then, they strapped her tight. After that, the group worked with the rest of her body, placing colorful straps across their volunteer’s legs and torso.

When the day was complete, all 40 students were changed. Each one knew something different, something new, formed an opinion about if their future might be in the medical field. 

Students will spend a full day at St. Luke Hospital working in teams, rotating through a variety of departments. Hospital healthcare professionals will provide a close-up view of job duties, daily practice, policy and procedures, and explain the education and training required for their positions. 

Maggie Roddam, St. Luke respiratory therapist, choreographed the day’s events that included a session hosted by dentist Gayle Siemers and assistant Micayla Pretty On Top.

REACH was developed by the Montana Area Health Education Center in 2007 to meet a growing need for health care workers by giving students early exposure to the healthcare industry and the many career choices available.

REACH is one of several programs that Montana AHEC provides to schools and communities throughout the state, fulfilling a portion of the center’s mission to connect students to careers, professionals to communities and communities to better health. This is the fourth year St. Luke has hosted the REACH program.

Chris Briske, Ronan High School science teacher and advisor to the school’s Health Occupations Students of America club said that the REACH program is important for students to see the variety of careers in the healthcare field.  

Gaining the knowledge healthcare industry professionals share will help them select a career and give them a personal reason for the effort they are putting forth at school.  

“What was compelling was that you got hands-on, and they told you the approximate salary,” said Samantha Metzger, President, Health Occupations Students of America club at Ronan High School. 

“I’ve always thought to go into the medical field but it did help by showing the other options. I would like to be a certified nurse’s assistant and a paramedic. I’m a junior and I would like to be a part of the solution to help save lives.”

Several of the students will job shadow with individuals or careers that they observed during the day thorughout the next few months. 

Most of the students who attended the REACH program are interested in a healthcare career but are unaware of all the possibilities, she said.  

One student, who had no specific post-graduation plans, said he wanted to be a dental hygienist after attending the REACH program, Briske said.  

Ronan High School students who attended are in Human Biology and Medical Issues class or are members of Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA.)