SHS PCT Students complete week 5 of Clinical Rotations at Baptist Hospital

October 2, 2024 - Students in the SHS Patient Care Tech Program are more than halfway through their clinical rotations. For the last five weeks, student have been getting hands-on experience at Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas.

Here is what they learned during week 5:

• Molli McCoy spent her day in the Wound Care Center where she learned that hyperbaric chambers provide 100% oxygen to help shorten the healing time of wounds. Since the air pressure inside the chamber is 2 to 3 times higher than usual, it helps replace carbon monoxide in the blood with oxygen when there is suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. She demonstrated correct use of PPE and hand hygiene when entering isolation rooms and was able to see differences between open and closed  wounds. She learned what tools and equipment were used in the treatment of different types of wounds  and observed how to measure and document wounds as well as when to use a wound vac. She measured vital signs and assisted in passing utensils. She learned techniques used in wound dressing and the common causes of certain wound types. She talked to nurses about degree plans and tips on acquiring different job positions within the unit. Lastly, she learned that it is okay to have a fun and efficient work space, and that communicating and joking with patients was a fun way of getting to know them  while getting the job done. 
• Mallory Harper spent her day in the Cardiac Diagnostic unit also known as  EKG. She learned how to correctly place the electrode stickers on the chest and arms and which leads attach to these electrodes. She performed several EKG’s on patients in the pre-op surgery, recovery unit, telemetry, and even the ER. She also observed an echocardiogram which showed the chambers of the heart and if the blood was flowing correctly. She documented on the electronic medical records and even sent EKG’s to the doctors.
• Brooke Rodgers helped out in the Infusion clinic where she learned how to properly do a sterile injection and where to insert a needle in a patient's chest. She learned that when giving patients blood you have to check their vital signs every 30 minutes to make sure they aren’t going into anaphylaxis. She transported patient blood samples to the laboratory and picked up pharmacy orders. She also checked vital signs on  patients and documented in the patients electronic medical record. Brooke says, "All of the patients were really nice and one even gave me life advice. The nurses were also really nice and helpful."
• Kaydence Teal-Hansen spent her time in  Labor and Delivery. She worked under an amazing RN who walked her through the  triage process to the birth of a patients baby. She gathered supplies for two C-sections. She observed how to  document a patients medical history. The RN explained why she was asking the patient certain questions and what some things meant. She was even allowed to clean the incision sight to help prep the patient. As soon as the OR was prepped, she scrubbed in to witness the patients C-section and sterilization (getting her tubes tied) procedure. She observed the insertion of a spinal blocker (which is a shot in her back to numb her from the waist down), a catheter insertion, the C-section (including the rupture of membranes), the removal of her fallopian tubes, and the birth of the placenta.

There are only three clinical rotations left and with each new experience, students are getting a better understanding of which path in the healthcare field they want to pursue.

Thank you Baptist Hospital for your generosity and accommodations for our students. We cannot wait to see what the rest of the year brings.