Students taking Health Careers class have the opportunity to get their Certified Nursing Assistant while enrolled in the class. Junior Meagan Anderson said in order to be accepted into the course each student must obtain good attendance, good grades, they also must reach above the minimum score on the English Map test as well as passing a tuberculosis skin test.

“I think it is a really great opportunity, the class is entirely paid for,” Anderson said. “It gives you an advantage over other people who also want to try and get into the medical field.”

CNA lab class is every Monday and Thursday, preparing the students for clinicals. However students must also attend class daily to read chapters out of the state curriculum as well as taking quizzes over the material and discussion boards.

“I really like the class, the labs really help me learn how to perform tasks in my health career,” Anderson said “It’s a pretty laid back class but I know that’s what I want to go into in college.”

Each student is required to participate in 30 hours of clinicals, and they also must have a total of 22.5 lab hours in order to meet the requirements of a CNA.

“It’s really hard to attend all the classes because sometimes you get sick or have to miss class due to an emergency,” Anderson said. “For clinicals you have to go in on a couple Saturdays, so you really have to make a commitment.”

While at the nursing homes students are assigned residents to care for. This includes helping the residents with simple tasks such as walking, bathing, going to the restroom, clean up, position change in bed, brushing teeth and feeding.

“You have to be pretty comfortable with up in peoples personal space. As well as being very patient with the residents because they can be very forgetful,” Anderson said. “It’s our job to remind them of things and calm them down. If they freak out, we are not allowed to use restrains on them you have to just try and calm them down the best you can.”

Absence is not overlooked. If a lab is missed students must make it up on their own time at the Olathe Health Center office. If a clinical is missed and cannot be made up, students can potentially fail the class.

“If a class is missed it can be made up at home. If a lab is missed you must make an appointment at the Olathe Health Center and come in when they have time,” Anderson said. “Clinical you have to schedule an appointment with my advisor and the nursing homes.”