On Nov. 2, students and teachers in the biomedical program visited the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to participate in the Day in the Life of a Nurse program, where students and chaperones had the opportunity to learn more about the nursing profession and shadow various nurses.
This program, organized by the Nursing Consortium of South Florida, is run to teach high school students about the various career opportunities within the nursing profession, and give students a behind the scenes look at all the different jobs a nurse can have.
“The students got to see the various branches of nursing like administration, research, and family counseling, not just bedside,” said biomedical teacher Laura Keepax.
Students had the opportunity to take a tour of the hospital, witness a simulated appendectomy, and witness a 3D printer print a simulation of a heart. They were guided by nurses from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, who showed them the various departments nurses work in.
“I really enjoyed touring the different parts of the hospital and seeing what it would really be like to be a nurse,” said biomedical student Joanne Park.
The program also encouraged high school students to pursue a career in nursing and give students a feel for what it
would be like to work as a nurse in a children’s hospital. The program demonstrated to students that as a nurse, it is not mandatory to work in one department continuously, as there are opportunities to work in various departments and parts of the hospital.
“We got to visit the cardiac ICU and the critical care areas where newborns are treated, and various other parts of the hospital where nurses work on the daily,” said biomedical teacher Yolanda McCarthy.
The group of biomedical students who participated in this field trip had the opportunity to experience the true scope of responsibilities nurses can have working in a children’s hospital. “The Day in the Life of a Nurse” program was an informative and interactive experience for both students and chaperones, and the biomedical program plans to repeat the visit next year as well.
