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  • Mt. Vernon Township High School students Dorvontis Gordon, Racey Hicks and Samantha Smith work on intubating a patient during the school’s inaugural first responder class, which began at the beginning of the semester last month. Upon passing the certification exam, students will then be licensed as first responders. KANDACE MCCOY/REGISTER-NEWS

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February 7, 2010

MVTHS first responder class under way

By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — The new first responder class at Mt. Vernon Township High School is now in full swing, with students potentially becoming licensed by spring.

The new class was added to the MVTHS Area Vocational Center’s Health Core Skills class last year and began this semester. The addition creates a “seamless curriculum” for area AVC students between secondary and post-secondary education, according to previous information from AVC Director Rob Knutson.

Teacher Tammy Martin says students are not only learning about different areas of the medical field, but are also being able to focus more on what they want to do upon graduation.

“I’m seeing that it’s helping them narrow down their fields, moreso than what I thought,” Martin said Friday as students practiced opening airways. “First responders will never intubate, but with this practice the kids are saying I want to go into emergency medicine or there might be some who say I don’t like blood or emergency work at all. And that’s really our goal in CTE is to narrow that focus before they get into college.”

Senior Sarah Herndon is not only taking the first responder class, but also a basic emergency medical technician class at the Rend Lake MarketPlace. She says her goal is to become a nurse anesthesist, but admits the 40-hour first responder class has her considering other options.

“It definitely makes me want to go into the emergency side of medicine for sure,” she said.

Woodlawn High School junior Arianna Poorman says though she plans to become a social worker or psychologist, she was advised taking the first responder class would be a good experience for her field of study.

“If I decide to get a job, say at a hospital, then if there was an emergency I could help out somewhat,” she said.

“The class is helping me a lot in deciding what I want to do,” said Michelle Boswell, also a junior at Woodlawn High School. “I’ve learned a lot and I want to go into nursing. Every time we go into a different section, I can’t decide what I want to do.”

Martin said the class will be wrapping up soon, and then students will start job-shadowing at St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in various departments. Following that, students will then prepare for their state certification exam.

“The ones that pass the state test and get their license will get to ride a rotation with Littons Ambulance Service,” Martin added. “Littons agreed to do that with us.”

By taking the class, students will be trained in CPR/First Aid/AED and monitored by Robert Hyman, director of the North Egypt EMS System, who Martin says was integral in creating the class. Hyman will also administer the state certification exam. The class also received donated equipment from Hyman and the Mt. Vernon Fire Department.

Five high schools currently participate in the MVTHS AVC program throughout Jefferson and Wayne counties, representing nearly 300 high school junior and seniors.

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