Encouraging young people to consider a career in health was the motivation behind a 'reality tour' at Porirua's Whitireia Community Polytechnic in November.
Year 9 and 10 students from five local secondary schools were invited to visit the polytechnic for a first-hand Look at nursing, paramedic training and other health careers--complete with ambulance, clinical practice suite and practice Laboratories and the mobile surgical bus. One of the day's prime movers was Capital and Coast District Health Board director of nursing primary care, Eldred Gilbert. 'The number of students enrolling for nursing and other health careers has not been growing as we would hope. Our aim was to start a reversal of that trend,' she said. Another of the day's aims had been to encourage more Maori and Pacific Island students to consider a career in health, said programme Leader of undergraduate studies at the polytechnic's nursing centre, Leanne Pool.
Having the mobile surgical bus on site was a real coup, she said. At 20 metres in Length and five metres wide when in use, the bus is an impressive piece of engineering that attracts attention as it moves through the country. During their visit, the 50 students had a number of hands-on experiences, including taking temperatures, blood pressures and blood sugars, identifying the bacteria on their hands, lifting others using hoists, and learning CPR. Follow-up days are planned at the schools and a repeat of the 'reality tour' next year.
