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What is the Career Exploration Program?
The Career Exploration Program, CEP, is a new development at Salem
and West Valley Hospitals. The CEP is designed to give students of
all ages (middle school through professional education) the opportunity
to investigate, explore, and spend time experiencing the world of
health care. This program works because students like you want to
learn and are building toward their futures, because the hospitals
and schools are supportive of the CEP, and because health care professionals
in the hospital have agreed to help students in their exploration
and experience.
Students gain real-world application, interview, and interaction
experience in the hospital and the opportunity to speak with fellow
students of various levels, participate in community outreach and education
projects, and use CEP experiences in papers and projects. Salem and
West Valley Hospitals are committed to building career learning opportunities
for students in our community. We hope to help students pursue a career
in health care, provide students with a meaningful experience, and
partner with educators to build an integrated learning system that
includes classroom, internet, and experiential learning.
Why do students participate in the CEP?
Many students are required to do a job shadow or other career exploration
for graduation from high school. Some students are in specialized
classes that require health care career shadowing, practicum, or
internship for academic reasons. Some students are just plain interested
(or already employed) in health care and wish to learn more about
careers at the hospital.
Who can participate in the CEP?
Students from middle school, just starting out and exploring possible
career interests, all the way through students in professional schools
(like radiology programs, nursing, or business schools) can benefit
from exploring careers with the CEP. All students must apply online
on the Salem Hospital website to be accepted into the CEP.
What is a Health Care Professional?
A Health Care Professional (or HCP) is someone currently working at
Salem or West Valley Hospital in any career who has agreed to help
students explore health care. All hospital employees are part of the
HCP team, as everyone has an important role to play to ensure total
quality patient care, including clinical staff, support systems, and
administration. The HCPs are an important part of the CEP because they
know what it takes to do their jobs, how to get there, and how to succeed.
What is the HCP’s role in the CEP?
The HCP has four important jobs to do in the CEP:
- Every HCP has a job to do and they must do their part to keep
the hospital functioning.
- The HCP will also make sure that students
are safe and in compliance with all hospital requirements and the
student contract outlined below.
- HCPs are ready to answer questions
you may have about health care, specific jobs, how and why they got
into their current career, or help you find answers to questions
that they can’t answer.
- HCPs will also fill out an evaluation
form for each student, which is the student record of the experience
and should be turned in to any teacher who requires proof of experience.
This evaluation form is available online, and must be brought to
the hospital each time you visit.
Why do HCPs participate in the
CEP?
HCPs do not have to participate in the CEP. They are volunteering
to help students explore health care careers, to share their day,
their knowledge, and their skills with students to help them learn.
HCPs are excited about health care, their careers, and getting students
into health care careers and are looking forward to meeting and working
with you. HCPs that choose to participate in the CEP believe that
the program benefits students, schools, the hospital, and the whole
community.
Why does the hospital offer the CEP?
Salem and West Valley Hospitals believe that the future of health
care and of our community lies with the students in our community.
The hospitals are committed to offering the CEP to allow students
to explore health care careers and the benefits and requirements
of working in this exciting and important field. The hospitals want
to share their mission, vision, and Patient FIRST values with the
community and to be the employers of choice for the coming workforce.
The hospitals also hope to spread interest in health care careers
to help ease the coming shortages in important careers like nursing
and imaging.
What can students do at the hospital?
Students in the CEP are and should feel like a part of our health
care team! Students will be allowed to observe any appropriate part
of the HCP’s daily work, including the paperwork, preparation,
and clean-up. Students will not be exposed to extremely sensitive
or traumatic situations, or allowed in areas if patients request
that they not be included. Students can help with non-patient care
activities if they are safe and appropriate. Under no circumstances
will students perform key clinical functions; CEP pre-professional
students who are not enrolled in a clinical experience will not be
performing patient care. Students will be able to interact with professional
students doing clinical experience, or recent graduates, as well
as their assigned HCP if possible. Some students will have training
in clinical skills like taking vitals, but the CEP is not the time
to practice those skills! Later, Practicum and Internship students
will have the opportunity to deliver critical educational material
and health information through peer teaching, community outreach,
career fairs, and more.
How can students communicate with HCPs?
When students come to the hospital, they may not be familiar with
medical or hospital terminology, abbreviations, or jargon, and they
may not understand everything going on around them. HCPs are in the
habit of using these terms and may not remember that the students
don’t
always understand what’s happening or why. Here are a few tips
to help you communicate with your HCP:
- Everyone learns, all the time! None of us started knowing
what we do now.
- At an appropriate time, ask the HCP to explain special
terms and abbreviations you have heard during your experience. Write
these down in your journal to look up later.
- When appropriate, ask
the HCP what they’re going to do before
they do it; then check for understanding after you observe.
- Show
respect for everyone you encounter. Staff have worked hard to get
where they are and are helping you, while patients have a right to
privacy and a professional atmosphere.
What if things aren’t
going right?
If, at any time, a student fails to comply with hospital rules, regulations,
policies, or procedures, or violates any of the student contract
in this handbook, any HCP has the absolute right to send the student
back to the check-in point immediately. If you have any concerns
or problems during your experience, talk with your assigned HCP immediately.
If you do not feel comfortable doing that, go back to the check-in
point (tell your HCP that you are leaving and where you are going)
and speak with the person you signed in with. Go to the emergency
department with any medical emergency, and if you need to go or reach home,
ask your HCP to use a telephone.
What should students do after their experience?
Think about your time at the hospital and what you’ve learned!
Students will need to fill out an evaluation of their time at the hospital
and turn that in to your teacher or Salem Hospital Human Resources
Department. Students should also send a thank you note or card to the
HCP who helped them in their experience. Some students will have journal
requirements to complete. Practicum and internship students must complete
a project involving outreach community on health care issues,
as directed by the hospital or their school. Copies of this work can
be sent to the hospital to be placed in your student file in Salem
Hospital HR. Be sure to keep the evaluation completed by your HCP as
proof of your experience and for your own benefit and learning.
How can students continue in their health care career planning?
Students that wish to continue planning for a health care career
have many options. Students can apply to continue in the CEP with
practicum and internship level programs by going to the Salem Hospital
CEP website and submitting an application for that level. Students
can gain experience and build their resumes by becoming volunteers
at the hospitals, or by arranging experiences in other health care
areas on their own. Students should work with their teachers and
counselors to pick an appropriate academic plan for the career
they are interested in, as well as think about future plans for
higher education or vocational schools. Salem and West Valley Hospitals
recommend that students emphasize studies in science, math, language,
and computer skills to offer the widest health care career opportunities.
Click open each form below to print a copy:
Educators Handbook
Copies of the Educator's Handbook are available upon request. Please click here to request one.
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