For some Calgary teenagers, a trip to Rockyview General Hospital offered a glimpse into a career they had already been considering. For others, it opened the door to possibilities they had never thought about before. The hospital welcomed students for its annual Take Our Kids to Work Day on Wednesday, giving Grades 9 through 12 students the chance to experience what goes on behind the scenes in a busy health-care facility. Students took part in simulated surgeries, medical procedures and emergency scenarios designed to give them a taste of the work involved in caring for patients. “They get to experience what acute health care actually looks like,” said Kyla Black, site director at Rockyview General Hospital. “Many of these students are learning to work through clinical scenarios that support the care of a patient and it’s all about planning for the future, offering these important opportunities for kids to look at different roles in the hospital.” Inside the operating room This year’s event featured several learning stations throughout the hospital, allowing students to explore different areas of health care. Activities included operating room simulations, respiratory demonstrations, medical device reprocessing, infection prevention and control, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Students also got an introduction to surgical technology, including demonstrations involving the da Vinci surgical robot and virtual reality tools. At one station, they practiced removing a simulated gallbladder from a pumpkin using laparoscopic surgical techniques, which allows doctors to perform procedures through small incisions. Other activities included learning how to scrub in before surgery, putting on personal protective equipment, practicing wound closures and responding to simulated patient emergencies. For 15-year-old Evelyn Woodward, the experience opened her eyes to the emotional aspect of care as she explores the possibility of a career inside a pediatric emergency room. “People need people who care, and I feel like we hear a lot about apathetic doctors, but we need people with empathy who are there too,” Woodward told CTV News. “This really taught me that doctors are not just there to make money, but because they genuinely want to help people.” An unexpected interest in health care For 16-year-old Clara McEwan, the experience was an opportunity to explore a career path she hadn’t previously considered. “Honestly, health care has never been one of my main interests, but I found it so interesting to learn about all the different components.” McEwan said. Participating in the simulations and seeing medical professionals at work gave her a different perspective, especially after she got to play the role of lead doctor in a simulated operating room. “It felt like a real situation where you’re dealing with life or death and it can definitely be intimidating,” she said. “I always thought of hospitals of being a place associated with death, but now I see there’s also so much life. You’re saving these lives, and giving back life to these people which I think is just so beautiful.” McEwan is currently considering becoming a psychologist and learning more about the role of social workers. Her advice to other students is to take advantage of opportunities to explore careers, even if they are unsure whether a particular field is right for them. “Anyone who has this opportunity jump on it 100 per cent because the medical field was not even close to being on my radar.” Exploring a future in nursing For 17-year-old Avery Clarke, the day was an opportunity to learn more about a career in nursing — something she already hopes to pursue. She enjoyed learning about wound care, IVs and palliative care, but one of her favourite activities was removing a mock gallbladder from a pumpkin. Clarke said having doctors and nurses willing to share their knowledge is important as students consider their future careers. “It means the world to have so many supportive people, so many doctors and nurses who are so ready and willing to get us into this and teach us how to be good nurses and kind of empower the future generation that way,” she said. Currently in Grade 12, Clarke has started applying to university and hopes to eventually work with children. “If you want to do anything in health care, nursing, surgery, whatever, just go for it. Follow your heart and it will probably take you somewhere,” she said. Preparing for the next generation For hospital leaders, the event also serves a longer-term purpose: encouraging young people to consider careers in a sector that will continue to need trained professionals. Black says Alberta’s health-care workforce faces shortages across a variety of professions. She pointed the average age of registered nurses in Alberta is 47, and there needs to be more young people entering the field to plan for the future. Amanda Saigeon, manager of the operating room, recovery room, minor surgery clinic, medical device reprocessing and Outpatient Urology Clinic at Rockyview General Hospital, also helped lead one of the learning stations. She said giving students the chance to experience different aspects of health care can make a lasting impression. “It’s so beneficial for them to be able to use their hands, see all the different areas of health care, the emergency department, all the way to the operating room, to what they can do outside of the hospital, but still in health care,” Saigeon said. Saigeon encourages students to explore their interests before settling on a career.
