Roseburg High School Students Complete Nursing Assistant Level 1 Program

Five Roseburg High School students have finished a special nursing training program. The students - Keelin Johnson, Sorrell Carter, Kasmara Boehnen, Amia Juarez, and Addison Scalf - got hands-on experiences like taking blood pressure, helping people eat in bed, moving with a belt, and changing people between beds and wheelchairs. This is part of the Nursing Assistant Level One Program at Roseburg High School. It's the only one of its kind in Douglas County, and only a few others like it exist in Oregon. This course is offered to juniors and seniors in the dual enrollment program with Umpqua Community College. Senior Sorrell Carter recommends the course to anyone wanting to join the medical field, mentioning the great teacher who makes learning fun. Junior Addison Scalf finds the course and the clinicals engaging and revealing about their career choices. On completing the program, students earn nine college credits which will help them enter Umpqua Community College’s Nursing Program. Students can also start work straight after school as a certified nursing assistant. The course, approved by the Oregon State Board of Nursing, involves over 164 hours of training. The training includes basic bedside nursing skills, basic restorative skills, mental health and social service needs, personal care skills, and knowledge of clients’ rights. Students get to practice these skills at school and during nights and weekends at care facilities. According to instructor Jan Dawson, all students who have finished this course have found jobs and gone on to the Nursing Program. She praises the personal growth and teamwork she sees in her students. "The growth they get in this class is tremendous," Dawson said. Congratulations to the five students on their achievement!