Sixteen high school students in a North Carolina school district have become certified nursing assistants. These students, who are part of Angela Hamilton’s honors health science 2 class, have already secured jobs as certified nursing assistants. One of the students, Lauren Benamati, a senior at Northwest Guilford High School, plans on joining the Air Force as a nurse.
The students attribute their success in passing the certification test to the skills they learned in their class. The hands-on training they received in the health science class was instrumental in preparing them for the demands of the job. Benamati mentioned that practicing skills in a lab setting with her classmates helped them feel more confident when they gained real-world experience at their clinical site.
In the class, students not only learned basic nursing skills such as taking blood pressure but also performed exercises to improve patients’ range of motion. Benamati emphasized how integral the hands-on experience was in helping them understand and apply nursing techniques. She also highlighted how valuable it was to form strong connections with her classmates while learning these skills together.
One of the highlights of the class for Benamati was the strong connections she formed with her classmates. The tight-knit group supported each other, practiced skills together, and learned from one another throughout the course. Benamati expressed her excitement about contributing to addressing the nationwide shortage of healthcare workers, particularly nurses. She believes that effective communication and hands-on experience are essential qualities that future healthcare workers need to possess to care for patients effectively.
North Carolina is projected to face a shortage of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in the coming years. Benamati and her classmates are eager to step into these roles and make a difference in the healthcare industry. They credit their teacher, Angela Hamilton, for her dedication in preparing them for the challenges and responsibilities of being future healthcare workers.
Hamilton emphasized that effective communication and hands-on experience are critical components of shaping students’ abilities to care for patients effectively. She encouraged her students to use their newfound knowledge and skills to make a positive impact on people’s lives by becoming compassionate and skilled healthcare workers.
Overall, these sixteen high school students have achieved an impressive feat by becoming certified nursing assistants despite being teenagers. Their hard work, dedication, and passion for caring for others will undoubtedly serve them well as they embark on their careers as healthcare professionals.
Benamati expressed how grateful she is for Hamilton’s guidance throughout this journey: “Ms. Hamilton has been an incredible teacher who has taught us so much more than just nursing techniques,” she said.” She has inspired me to become a better person every day by encouraging me never to give up on my dreams.”
