Everyone dreams of being a nurse or a doctor or a movie star or someone exciting. Five students from PHHS joined others in the Nurse for a Day program sponsored by PERFECT, who sponsors other school to work programs. Valeria Montes de Oca, Alleea Todd, Marissa Malega, Janeika Jenkins, Meaghan Wills, and Ms Hayes toured OSF hospital and participated in hands on programs for interested students.

     The day started in the emergency room critical care center. This is the first place many auto and motorcycle accident cases are sent. The nurse there stated that, “It’s not a pretty place to work.” They see serious accident victims there who can’t maintain their body temperature, so the area is kept far warmer than any place else. It was a stark reminder of the need for helmets and seat belts.

     From there the students toured the hospital, even the chapel, which one nurse described as the only place to get away and have a quiet thought or pray for some of the people who come through. They also went to the nurses’ training lab where they worked on a child mannequin who needed its stomach pumped, and another whose wound needed cleaning (actually baby food was used to simulate pus etc. – they said it was still icky). “Ella” an adult mannequin was used to simulate childbirth, and a baby one was used for practicing basic child care.

     A panel of student nurses was available for questions and discussion. The student nurses made it very clear that the study of nursing is difficult, that lots of hard work and many hours of studying are required to be successful. It’s good to know up front from those who have really experienced it!