Eight years ago, Pinecrest High School began offering Nursing Fundamentals as a class. The purpose of this class is to give interested students the opportunity to gain experience in nursing, including personal care and basic skills. This year, six Pinecrest students earned their Certified Nursing Assistant I (CNA I) certification through this class. Those students include seniors Alicia Cox, Samantha Oakes, Mattie Rose, Nyla Smith, Brooke Thum, and  Morgan Williams.

 

The teacher in charge of this program is Ann Lockey. Lockey graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. At ECU, she “found a passion for patient and family education.” She then began teaching.

 

Lockey said, “It is wonderful to see the students grow in confidence, knowledge and skills as the semester progresses. As we approach the start of clinical, student anxieties are also growing. They don’t see what they have accomplished, but they will.  By the third day in clinical, students question why they were nervous, by the third week they look like employees of the long term care facility not students in high school.”

 

Lockey is not the only one who loves what the program can do for students. Williams said, “[Taking] Nursing Fundamentals was the best decision I have ever made. I’ve always had the desire to help others, and from this experience, I now know nursing is what I want to pursue. Mrs. Lockey was always there when needed and always went the extra mile to help us succeed.”

 

The CNA I certification takes over one year to complete. Students must first take Health Science I and II. They can then complete the Nursing Fundamentals course. From there, they can begin the steps to CNA I certification.

 

“First, students must demonstrate 100% accuracy and competency in over 60 skills in the training lab prior to direct resident care. Next, students must complete 40 hours of long term care where they transfer the acquired skills to the residents of the facility, again with 100% accuracy,” said Lockey. “At the end of their clinical rotation, students receive a certificate of completion and are then able to register for their CNA exam.  Students passing the written and skills portion of the exam become a CNA I and are listed on the NC CNA I Registry.”

 

Smith said, “The experience I gained in the classroom and at clinicals helped me to know for sure that healthcare is the field I want to be in. With the help of my instructor, Mrs. Lockey, I’ve accomplished a goal I’ve been anticipating since my freshman year in high school.”

 

Students may choose to pursue CNA I certification for many reasons. Certification is a prerequisite for admission into many nursing schools, students with CNA I certification can work as a CNA I during college, this is a benefit because being a CNA I pays more than minimum wage, and students who are not college-bound are now certified for a well-paying job with benefits right out of high school.

 

“This program has helped me so much in moving toward my career goal. I am extremely thankful for Mrs. Lockey’s help as we prepared for the exam. I love the experiences I was able to be a part of in Nursing Fundamentals. I made unforgettable friends and memories because of this program,” said Cox.

 

In the spring semester of this year, there are eight Nursing Fundamentals students. They began clinical April 7, 2017, and will be eligible to take the CNA I exam in June 2017.