MT. VERNON — For many, the sight of needles and blood is enough to make them pass out. For Mt. Vernon High School senior Kyla Selbe, it’s her favorite skill she’s learned in class.
Selbe is just one of the few students who are currently enrolled in Health Science 2, which allows students the opportunity to be hands-on in the nursing field and eventually able to obtain many certifications before leaving Mt. Vernon.
Selbe has been in the Health Science classes since her junior year with the same teacher, Rikita Mason, and same class mates, working closely together and being able to practice their nursing skills on each other.
In the Health Science 1, Selbe said she was able to receive her certification for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillator (AED) and for her certified nursing aide (CNA) certification. It also gave the opportunity to work on their clinicals under the supervision of an RN clinical instructor at a nursing home in Greenfield.
Selbe said that, at the end of Health Science 2, she’ll obtain her certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA) certification, which means dealing with bloodwork, vaccinations, testing and more.
“It’s been a really cool experience so far,” said Selbe, also sharing that she first became interested in this career path by watching her mother work jobs that help others and a cousin who also showed interest in the field.
Selbe said she also was able to tour Marian University at one point, seeing the nursing building. With those experiences and classes at school, she had confirmed with herself that she made the right decision.
“I just thrive in it,” Selbe said. “It’s just so… it’s something that I’ve very much cared about.”
Selbe also works in the Mt. Vernon Employee Clinic managed by Hancock Health, where she spends her mornings there as a student medical assistant. There, Selbe get to work with the nurse practitioner and clinical manager to put the skills she learns in the classroom into practice.
Selbe said with the help of Stan Wilkinson, assistant principal for MVHS and director for the upcoming education center, she was able to get her job at the clinic and introduced her to the program.
“It’s a really cool learning experience,” Selbe said. “I get to work in the lab, front office, I get to go back with patients.”
Her favorite part so far has been drawing blood. Selbe said they learned how to draw blood for the first time in December and have been able to practice on each other. Selbe also said she enjoyed overall needle work.
While it depends on the student, Shelbe said some challenges she had faced in the health science classes have been transitioning from her CNA certification to the CCMA — dealing more with clinical work than the day to day help such as walking, brushing teeth, etc.
“It’s a big step up but one that was a very welcoming challenge,” Selbe said. “One that we all definitely had to realize it’s a lot different, but different in good ways.”
After graduation, Selbe will be attending University of Cincinnati where she will be in their nursing program with the ultimate goal of graduating with her RN certification and becoming a NICU nurse.
Selbe said that her experience with the health science classes, work experience and being able to show her skills is what helped her get into the nursing program. She said that these classes are an opportunity for students to get out of their comfort zone, but it’s also important to know personal boundaries and limits. Selbe said with these classes, it’s also important to know going in that there are some moments where there will be struggles but it is something that everyone will experience and that’s okay.
“It’s hard. Medicine is supposed to be hard, it’s not something that is supposed to be taken lightly because you’re putting other peoples’ lives in your hands,” Selbe said.
The health science classes at MVHS will be one of the many CTE classes offered at Amplify Hancock — the education center which will provide space for all the school districts a place provide higher education opportunities.
Other classes offered can also be found at mvhs.mvcsc.k12.in.us/pathways
