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MAY 2008
A first year student in Animal Science at Edison Academy competed in the job skills demonstration at the state competition for SkillsUSA won first place for the job skill of how to clip dog nails. She is planning on attending the nationals SkillsUSA competition in June. Two 2007 graduates were accepted into the Vet Tech program at NOVA and will begin their studies this fall.
The Chantilly Academy HOSA chapter is currently running a spring toy drive for Prince William Hospital. The class that donates the most toys receives a celebration. A centrifuge lab in the Advanced and Intro to Health Science classes was done using red cake decorating sugar and oil to mimic blood separation as a simulation of hematocrit. The Advanced Health Sciences class practiced their phlebotomy competency using a simulated arm.
HOSA Students at Stuart HS will welcome Dr. Ia Gomez from NVCC who will be leading a discussion on Genetic Engineering. Stuart HS has committed to continuing the Health and Medical Sciences curriculum in the 2008-09 school year due to increased student interest. Exploring Health Sciences will continue to be offered as well as offering Exploring the Language of Medicine.
Pharmacy technician students from Chantilly and West Potomac Academies are interning at CVS pharmacies throughout Fairfax County. It is a great experience and some have already received job offers even before the internship is completed
APRIL 2008
Chantilly HS Academy Health and Medical Sciences students received a lesson on blood products firsthand from a panel of INOVA Blood Donor Services staff to help foster connections with the Blood and Circulatory System Unit. The students also learned of several volunteer opportunities available and received an invitation to visit the lab facility.
Health and medical sciences students from Chantilly, Falls Church, Hayfield, Mt Vernon, Stuart and West Potomac High Schools are being introduced to the field of biotechnology. Dr. Ia Gomez of NVCC is offering very interesting presentations that explore the any avenues and opportunities that biotechnology offers, especially as it pertains to health care careers.
Thirty students from West Potomac Academy and 59 students from Chantilly Academy have begun internships at CVS Pharmacies throughout Fairfax County. The students have the opportunity to participate in hands-on pharmacy technician skills under the direction of certified pharmacy technicians and licensed pharmacists.
Dental career students from West Potomac Academy participated as dental assistant volunteers in the annual MOMS (Mission of Mercy) Projectwhich was held March 14 and 15 at the NVCC Medical Education Campus, where local dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants offer free dental care to the community. Students were actively involved assisting dentists and dental hygienists while utilizing the chair-side dental skills learned in the classroom and lab setting. Communication skills that demonstrated their achievement of excellent student-patient rapport were displayed throughout the event.
Twenty-eight students have begun the clinical ride-along component. Thirteen fire/EMS students have begun ride-alongs with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and 15 students, who have current affiliations with a volunteer department in Prince William County, also have begun their ride-alongs.
Some of the impressive tasks the students assisted with include: assistance in the delivery of a baby, administration of CPR, treating amputations, assisting with a helicopter landing zone on Rt. 95 for a motor vehicle collision, as well as other trauma cases.
MARCH 2008
HOSA--FCPS Health Students Win State HOSA Awards
Sixty-three health and medical sciences students represented Fairfax County Public Schools at the HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) State Leadership Conference held in Richmond, Virginia on February 29-March 2, 2008. HOSA is a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education that provides leadership development opportunities and recognition to health and medical sciences students. A great deal of academic preparation is done by students and teachers alike to participate in this yearly statewide event. At the recent Virginia conference, 65 schools participated and a total of 888 students attended.
Students from Falls Church Academy, Stuart High School, and West Potomac Academy participated in competitive events and leadership activities during the three day conference. The courses represented included dental careers, physical therapy/occupational therapy, pharmacy technician, practical nursing, and other health and medical sciences classes.
The students did an outstanding job and earned a total of 24 awards, of which 19 were 1st, 2nd or 3rd place winners and are eligible to participate in the HOSA National event in June.
A $300.00 scholarship was awarded to a practical nursing student from Woodson High School. A Stuart High School student accepted a leadership position of State Officer as the HOSA Reporter.
Student participation in HOSA is especially critical at this time to meet healthcare industry shortages with qualified health care workers. Fairfax County Public Schools is proud to support these outstanding student leaders and future healthcare workers.
Fire/EMS
The Washington Regional Transplant Consortium developed an internship for a Fire/EMS student.
The advanced health sciences class at Chantilly Academy presented a health information program to the Head Start students on exercise, hand washing, and healthy eating.
FEBRUARY 2008
A 2007 fire/EMS graduate, who is currently a firefighter/EMT-B, received the "Rookie of the Year" award on January 26, 2008. He is a full-time volunteer with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department Station 11/18 and is currently taking courses at NVCC working towards his NREMT-P AS degree in Emergency Medicine. At this time he is currently seeking employment as a FF/EMT in Washington, D.C.
JANUARY 2008
The level 2 practical nursing students assisted with health screenings at Falls Church High School.
Dental careers students at West Potomac Academy are anticipating a visit from Dr. Lenz, the dentist for the Washington Wizards, and will learn about dental safety and treatment of sports-related dental injuries.
Thirty-three fire/EMS students visited the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Training Academy for an all day field trip. Students learned first–hand about fire streams, advanced airway techniques and toured the facility. Captain Tobin, Captain Flanigan and Technician Young led the event.
West Potomac Health and Medical Sciences students participated in a successful Red Cross Blood Drive. Students assisted with appointment scheduling, and supportive organizational tasks.
The inaugural Exploring Health Sciences classes at Stuart High School have established a new HOSA chapter and are partnering with Borders Book Store to raise funds for the upcoming HOSA conference.
Physical therapy/occupational therapy students participated in offering professional therapeutic, stress-relieving massages to West Potomac High School faculty as a fund raiser.
NOVEMBER 2007
A graduate of the first Pharmacy Technician class, who is attending Butler University's six year Pharmacy program, recently earned the National Pharmacy Technician Certification.
Fire/EMS students in participated in emergency response exercises with members of the Fairfax County CERT. Students from the Fire/EMS class were featured in the Department of Homeland Security's safe school initiative at Mt. Vernon High School.
Practical nursing level 2 students participated in a flu clinic and administered injections to the residents at a long term care facility. Residents were brought to the “clinic” all morning and had great fun waiting for their turn. It changed the entire environment of the unit and was really a social occasion for them.
Several practical nursing students, instructor, and director participated in the annual Alexandria Hospital’s annual Breast Cancer Walk for the Cure.
An animal sciences graduate recently earned licensure as a veterinary technician and is now employed in the northern Virginia area.
OCTOBER 2007
The practical nursing students attended a Health Literacy lecture offered by Inova, and a guest speaker from Community Hospice of Virginia spoke to students about hospice and hospice nursing.
The Exploring Health Sciences classes have begun field trips to the Inova Fairfax Hospital Dome to view open heart surgery. Students from Falls Church High School have taken part in the observational experience. Future observation visits are planned for students attending health and medical sciences courses at other academy and base school locations.
SEPTEMBER 2007
Thirty-two fire/EMS students earned their healthcare provider CPR certification this month. The helicopter flight crew from the Fairfax County Police Department visited the fire/EMS students on September 20.
Students from the pharmacy technician course at West Potomac Academy, from the exploring health sciences course at Stuart High School, and from the level 2 practical nursing course attended the Bodies Exhibition in Rosslyn, Virginia to augment the anatomy and physiology portion of the curriculum.
Five scholarships from three agencies were awarded to rising level 2 nursing students during the summer.
MAY 2007
The Chantilly Animal Science class went on a field trip to the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo.
The Chantilly Medical Health Technologies II class went on a field trip to the Northern Virginia Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The students were shown many devises used to communicate with this population. They also were given tips on how to best communicate in a medical setting with a patient who has hearing/speech difficulties.
APRIL 2007
The pharmacy technician students at Chantilly Academy participated in a field trip to the Stabler Leadbeater Apothecary Museum in Alexandria, VA. They had the opportunity to observe mid-19th century objects used in making medicine including pill rollers, mortar and pestles, tins, and hand-blown medicine bottles as well as prescription and formula books.
Level 2 practical nursing students and Fire/EMS students participated in field trips to the NVCC-Medical Education Campus. They experienced an anatomy lesson at the cadaver lab conducted by the Emergency Medical Services Assistant Dean.
Fire/EMS students have had an exciting and busy month. Several Fire/EMS students and their teacher have volunteered and participated as victims in a mock disaster drill and were able to observe first hand the tools and specialties that a Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team can apply to a disaster. Students also had the opportunity to have landing zone (LZ) training from the Fairfax County Police Helicopter unit. Some students also participated in the Virginia Task Force 1 drill in which hundreds of fire and rescue personnel simulated the rescue of victims from collapsed structures following natural or man-made disaster events. Students, who volunteered to be “victims” and hid in various structures, were found by search dogs, and then were treated for their “injuries.”
The Health and Medical Sciences Advisory Committee recently met and discussed the VA HOSA Foundation’s first annual golf championship and new scholarship fund. Updates on the Pharmacy Technician program and the restructure of the Medical Health Technologies courses were provided. The following items were discussed:
- Dwindling clinical sites available to the practical nursing program
- Recruitment strategies for attracting qualified applicants to the program
- The need to develop greater membership in the Health and Medical Sciences advisory committee
- Resources needed to investigate how to attract new members with diverse healthcare professional expertise
- Potential healthcare industry growth areas such as health information technology and radiology with consideration of future course expansion
MARCH 2007
One hundred and eighteen health and medical sciences students participated in the Virginia HOSA State Leadership conference held in Richmond on March 2-4, 2007. Student representation from dental careers, medical health technologies, pharmacy technician, physical therapy/occupational therapy, and practical nursing programs resulted in 30 award winners. Twenty-two students are eligible to compete in the national HOSA competition and two students have been elected as state officers.
The pharmacy technician students at Chantilly Academy are preparing to begin their clinical job shadow experiences at CVS locations and the West Potomac Academy students are looking forward to their clinical opportunities with Kaiser Permanente.
Dental careers students and teachers from Chantilly Academy and West Potomac Academy volunteered for the annual Mission of Mercy event held at the Northern Virginia Community College Medical Education Campus on March 17 and 18, 2007. Local dentists, dental hygienists and assistants as well as other healthcare providers offered their professional services to the underserved population in the Northern Virginia region.
FEBRUARY 2007
Two Health and Medical Sciences teachers were recognized for awards by local Chambers of Commerce.
Health and Medical Sciences students attended a job shadow opportunity at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Washington DC. They observed in a pathology lab, pediatrics, cardiology and other specialty units.
JANUARY 2007
Fire/EMS students have begun their practical “ride-along” experiences with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.
A Chantilly pharmacy technician student has been accepted to Shenandoah University’s pre-pharmacy program. Several pharmacy technician students from both sites are currently employed with local retail pharmacies as pharmacy technicians pending certification.
NOVEMBER 2006
Chantilly Academy arranged for a meeting with George Washington University at the Ashburn Campus. The pharmacy tech teachers had the opportunity to observe an introductory pharmacology class in the new BS degree program of pharmacogenomics. FCPS is exploring exciting and innovative student opportunities with GWU’s pharmacology department.
The 2006 practical nursing class has achieved a 100% pass rate in the VA Board of Nursing NCLEX. At the time of the report 20 students tested and passed the state board exam.
Thirty-two Fire/EMS students received their Blood-borne Pathogen Certification last week. A captain from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Infection Control and Prevention Officer provided class instruction in preparation for the test. This certification is required for students to participate in ride-alongs.
In celebration of HOSA Week, 11/6-11/10, the students in the Chantilly Academy Medical Health Technologies and Dental classes collected childrens' books that will be donated to the Prince William Hospital pediatric department. The kick off was Thursday 11/9, when the students will meet for cake and punch in celebration of HOSA Week.
OCTOBER 2006
The pharmacy technician class at West Potomac Academy teamed with the criminal justice class to observe demonstrations of trained dogs that detect drugs and explosives. A student from the Chantilly Academy pharmacy technician class was recently hired by a local retail pharmacy.
Animal sciences students had the unique opportunity to observe a cow giving birth at the Virginia State Fair.
Level 1 practical nursing students participated in the annual Walk to Fight Breast Cancer hosted by the City of Alexandria's Office on Women and Inova Alexandria Hospital Foundation.
Fire and emergency medical sciences students have begun practicing vital signs skills on the patient simulator.
SEPTEMBER 2006
The Health and Medical Sciences program is offering the new pharmacy technician course at Chantilly and West Potomac Academies and has strong student interest for the course. The teachers are currently seeking clinical pharmacy internship experiences for the spring semester.
The dental careers courses have initiated the fabrication of sports mouth guards for FCPS high school sports teams. Each school may select their school colors and impressions are taken at the school by dental careers students under the guidance of their teacher. A group of West Potomac Academy students began this project during the summer and has delivered 110 mouth guards to Edison, Stuart and Mount Vernon high schools. Chantilly Academy dental careers students are also participating in the mouth guard fabrication project this year and have begun taking impressions.
Animal science students are preparing for a trip to the State Fair in Richmond on October 3 to view the many large animal exhibits including Old MacDonald's Nursery which is managed by students of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.
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