High school students participating in Baptist’s CRASH Course weeklong annual summer camp worked alongside health care providers in June at various Baptist Memorial Hospital locations.
Baptist Anderson Regional Medical Center, Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Leake, Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City and the Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children’s Hospital — all hosted students.
This program allows high school students entering their junior or senior years to see what it’s like to work in various health care professions, learn the basics of patient care, observe surgeries and procedures, and gain an inside view of hospital operations.
Baptist Anderson hosted its first CRASH Course Camp. Students from across the region had the opportunity to shadow team members working in Nursing, Lab, Radiology and Physical Therapy. Campers also participated in CPR training and a mock trauma response. Dr. Lindsey Prewitt, a hospitalist, discussed pursuing a career as a physician, and the Air Care team made a special appearance.
Baptist DeSoto offered campers the opportunity to collaborate with team members at the hospital, offering valuable insight into the realities of working in health care. Students got a glimpse behind the scenes of hospital operations while building friendships with other students and engaging with health care professionals.
Baptist Golden Triangle hosted 16 students from surrounding schools. Throughout the week, students participated in trauma scenarios, including with a PHI Air Medical helicopter crew and Baptist Ambulance Service. Students participated in a skills day, including practicing suturing by stitching bananas, starting IVs and giving shots on mannequins. They also observed several operations or procedures.
“CRASH Course Camp is one of my favorite weeks of the year,” said Laura Nettles, RN, Baptist Golden Triangle staff development specialist. “The camp is a great way for high school students interested in medical fields to experience a real work environment. I love to see the excitement on students’ faces.”
Campers shadowed team members in the Emergency department, Interventional Radiology, Labor and Delivery, Cardiac Cath Lab, Respiratory Therapy, Critical Care, Infusion Center and Operating Room, and followed the coordinator of vascular-assisted devices. They also rode along with Baptist Ambulance Service. Camp ended with a speedy “Professional Exchange,” allowing students four minutes to ask questions of team members from 16 clinical and nonclinical hospital departments.
Baptist Leake provided its second CRASH Course camp. Students had opportunities to learn from all departments at the hospital, as well as attend demonstrations from PHI Air Medical, Clay McCombs with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Dr. Jordan Jackson with Baptist, Magnolia Ambulance and Baptist Ambulance Service. Students also attended special sessions with Pharmacy and Trauma team members and participated in a team-building competition.
Baptist Union City offered campers the opportunity to participate in interactive, hands-on activities that highlighted the skills, equipment, technology and resources used by nurses and other health care professionals. During the camp, students learned about the educational requirements, skills, typical job duties and personal qualities of nurses. Baptist Union City Chief Nursing Officer Lori Brown said, “One of the goals of CRASH Course is to promote the nursing profession to young people so they select appropriate coursework and begin setting goals for their future careers.”
Baptist Union County hosted its annual Health Care Career Academy, a weeklong career education program for junior and senior high school students. Students participated in mock codes, CPR demonstrations and the American College of Surgeons STOP THE BLEED Program. They also explored a variety of health care careers.
Baptist Women’s Hospital and Baptist Children’s Hospital hosted 21 students from area high schools for CRASH Course. Students participated in simulation lab activities, demonstrating micro-preemie, neonatal and laboring models; patient triage; pediatric mock codes; compounding hand creams; using vital equipment, such as vein viewers and ultrasound machines; and learning different roles in hospitals. Students also explored professions with personal talks from maternal fetal medicine specialists and OB-GYNs, child life specialists, paramedics, technologists, and respiratory, speech, occupational and physical therapists.
