If someone wants to pursue a career that makes a difference in people’s lives and they enjoy helping others, maybe the nursing path is the way to go. Over 83% of applicants get accepted into nursing school every year. Healthcare is constantly evolving. There are so many different career paths you can choose from in this profession along with being able to live almost anywhere. Hospitals and private practices are all over the world and in high demand now more than ever.  

Believe it or not, future medical field workers can get a head start while still in high school. Aubrey Guyer, a senior at Atlantic High School, has been working at The Heritage House Nursing Home for a total of six months. She started as a Hospitality Aid for two months, then went on to become a Certified Nurses Assistant for four months, and is still currently working there. A Hospitality Aid doesn’t need any certification and is not allowed to touch the residents. Instead, they assist the CNAs. Guyer became a CNA by taking a semester-long class at Iowa Western Community College through AHS. In the class, she had to pass her finals along with a written test and a skills test.

  While being a CNA a normal work day for her would include, helping them eat, putting them to bed, taking them to activities, personal care, and assisting them throughout the day. Guyer wants to get her Bachelor’s Science in Nursing degree and her current job will help with her experience and insight into how things work in the medical field. “I would recommend it but it’s not made for everybody,” she said.

Claire Wiederstein, an AHS senior, has been working as a CNA at Atlantic Specialty Care for a year. She became a CNA by taking a month-long class through Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. In order to pass she had to take a written test and a skills test. A normal day for Wiederstein would include helping the residents with daily tasks, helping with whatever her residents need, making sure they’re clean and healthy, and being there for them as someone to talk to. Wiederstein became a CNA because she initially had an idea of wanting to work in healthcare. While working with other nurses she realized she truly likes helping people and that’s what she wanted to pursue a career in. “Becoming a CNA is the first step to becoming a Nurse,” she said. Being a CNA in high school helps with experience and knowledge of what being in healthcare is all about. 

Jade Harter is a junior at AHS who currently works at The Heritage House as a CNA. She started off as a Hospitality Aid where “most of the quality time” is spent. The Heritage House paid for her classes in order to get her license. Her job helped her realize that after high school, she wants to become a Mental Health Therapist. While taking care of her residents throughout the day she keeps them clean, helps them eat, takes them to the restroom, along with all personal hygiene, along with spending time with them by having a snack or playing games with them. Working in an environment with older people or people that need help you have to be patient, and kind. Harter says “coloring is one of their favorite things to do.” The most valuable part of her job would be the mental aspect of it. She loves being able to learn from people that are older than her, and her residents have taught her a lot. In Harter’s six months of working her job has helped her with her communication skills, verbally and nonverbally, extended her desire to help people in the future, Aswell as reminded her not to take things for granted. “Visit your Grandparents. They love seeing you,” says Harter. 

Healthcare has a wide variety of options and paths to take. Working in these environments early on can help students decide what path to take. Working as a CNA or a Hospitality Aide doesn’t have to be all about the future. These jobs can help with other aspects of your life like verbal skills, respect, responsibility, sympathy, and overall knowledge of how other people live. These skills are very important in life and can benefit you every day.