SHS PCT students receive high praise during 5th round of Clinicals

November 15, 2023 - As the end of clinicals draws near for our Patient Care Tech students, these future health care workers are receiving big praises from staff at Baptist Hospital. This week, the senior practicum students hit the ground running and were excited to get to their units.

Here is a breakdown of their experiences:

• Macie Sheppard was in Labor & Delivery where she witnessed an amazing birth by C-section. She assisted in the opening of sterile packages for the surgical techs, restocked supplies, and brought breakfast to the new moms!
• Kennedy Lockhart worked on the Orthopedic unit today where she completed vital signs on all 9 of her patients and completely on her own. She assisted with applying sterile wraps to patients, and also helped to ambulate patients for therapy.
• Brooke Jeansonne completed her rotation in the Wound care center. She got to collect blood cultures to check for infections in wounds, she used silver nitrate sticks to stop the bleeding of wounds, and assessed the depth of wounds completely by touch. She saw many different kinds of wounds ranging from large flesh wounds to a skull wound. She learned a great deal about wounds, from how they are caused, how they can be treated, and how they can be prevented through in depth patient education. She also got to experience the hyperbarics chamber and relate to how patients may feel confined when they enter the chamber. 
• G'Kya Stimpson worked in the Imaging center today. She learned how important it is to utilize teamwork for positioning patients so that they are more comfortable during the process so that it takes less time. She learned what a swallow test was and how they are used to determine patient diets, and received insight from the Speech Language Pathologist on the importance of forming patient relationships. She then assisted with patient therapy.  She also traveled to NICU to take x-rays on some of the tiniest patients!
• Susie McAnelley completed her rotation in the NICU today where she learned that most babies are born with a small amount of jaundice and how UV lights are used as treatment. If the baby is born before 30 weeks, they will receive a special pediatric eye exam. She learned how to assemble a pediatric feeding tube and then feed the baby. She also got the joy of swaddling two newborns. 
• Dwight Pitts completed his round in the Infusion Center today. He learned about several medications such as Activase and that it is used to dissolve blood clots in the brain, and Dalvance is used to treat severe bacterial infections. He learned about different pieces of equipment, like implanted medical ports and PICC lines and that ECMO is a form of life support for babies, children and adults that have life threatening heart and lung problems. He picked up medications from pharmacy and blood from the blood bank then he learned about Myasthenia gravis (MG) and how blood transfusions can offer a quick improvement in muscle strength. He spent time talking with the patients and forming relationships with them as well as the nurses he was helping. 
• Desiray Rodriguez worked in Day Surgery getting patients ready for surgical procedures. She completed vitals signs and packed patient bags. She then cleaned and restocked surgical bays once the patients were transported to surgery.
• Laila Samuel worked on the Mother Baby unit today. She completed vital signs, observed multiple interactions between physicians and new moms, then restocked supplies in patient rooms.
• Mark Vickery worked on the Telemetry unit where he completed vitals signs, and measured and documented urinary output. He also repositioned several patients for comfort and also transferred patients in beds to other units and procedures. 

"Their excitement reminds me of WHY I love my job and what I do. When their faces light up as they explain their day and what they are learning brings me so much joy. It is rewarding to hear how well they are doing and how they just "dive right in" and do what it needs to be done. They are going to be fabulous health care workers," said Mrs. Heather Wiggins, Health Science Teacher. "I am so proud of them and their hard work."

PCT students will have one more day of clinical rotations.

This program/course prepares students for the Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT). Certified Patient Care Technicians are multi-skilled technicians who assist doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals in providing direct patient care in a variety of healthcare environments including hospitals.