Pattonville’s Certified Nursing Assistant program has started to attend a nursing home in Chesterfield as a part of the curriculum of the class, as well as to gain some experience and be put in real-life scenarios.

The first semester class included learning everything they would need to do in the field and some training on how to care for nursing home patients. Students brushed each other’s teeth and hair, helped make beds with a mannequin in it, and learned how to move people safely.

“We learned personal care, like how to give baths and how to feed properly,” senior Amber Osborn said. “We [also] learned how and when to take vital signs, what signs to look for, and any changes in their personality.”

Students also studied everything about diseases, like the symptoms, diagnosing them, and treating them.

“Learning the diseases and symptoms helped so we can detect what patients have. And to overall make them feel comfortable,” senior Andrea Moreno said.

Students enrolled in the class are wanting to pursue some type of nursing after high school, and this training is a great help to them. So far, the experience in a real nursing home has been a great opportunity to see what the field will require.

“It’s given me chances to learn more about the medical field and more information about being in a nursing home and working with elderly people,” Osborn said.

If you are interested in pursuing a degree in nursing after high school, make sure to enroll in CNA for your senior year.