Surgery Field trip!

[katie07]

Yesterday for my health and society class we took a field trip, I got to go to a hospitals surgery center and watch a gastric by pass surgery!

The thing is i'm still a senior in high school so its really awesme that my teacher could set this up.

Anyways I got to stand right there, 5 feet from the patient the entire procedure, it was so cool!!!!!!!!

gahhh it makes me so excited to go into the health field, it was just so intriging!.....it makes me want to go to med school and become a surgeon lol. Maybe after i get my BSN in 4 years I'll decide to lol you never know!

Anyways I also met several surgical nurses and that specality also seems very interesting!

Sorry for my ramblings, this just got my all pumped up to be a nurse.....or doctor! lol

Has anyone else ever heard of highschool kids being allowed to watch a surgery? Of course the patient gave her consent for us to, but it is really that rare? Thanks for you responses!

[TazziRN, RN]

Yes, it's rare. Usually you don't get to do that until nursing school.

[nursemary9, BSN, RN]

Katie

WOW!!

I'm excited for you!!

I do believe it is rare for a high school student to be allowed into surgery.

You know what's funny---I have been a nurse for over 40 yrs.

I went to Nursing School immediately after High School, so I was 18 yrs old, also. When I started Nursing School, I had NEVER even been in a hospital--not even as a visiter!!LOL!!

[elcue]

hi katie

glad your or day was interesting. i've been an or nurse for almost 23 years and i can't imagine working in any other nursing setting!

our hospital has a program for high school students interested in health care careers. we call it learning link. gives them time in the hospital setting to see whether the "fit" feels right. these students come to the or with the patient's, surgeon's, anesthesiologist's, and circulating nurse's written consent. (they also go to other patient care areas.)

it is a great way to encourage interested students, and i have never had one problem with these high schoolers. in many ways i enjoy having them in my or more than nursing students! we nurses have to grow our ranks, and this is one way to nurture interested students.

linda