Photo by Emma Delk Camper Mia Berrisford learns how to stuff a wound with the help of Weyland Harris, Director of Threat Prevention at the Wheeling County Emergency Management Agency in Ohio.
While most summer camps offer arts and crafts and sports for children to try, Wheeling University’s Health Care Leadership Camp offers campers the opportunity to learn about wound dressings, dressings, CPR, and more. It showed you how to and introduced you to different health science careers.
Jill Emery, camp organizer and nursing lecturer at Wheeling University, said the camp “expands knowledge of the opportunities available in health care” while also providing “hands-on activities” to keep children engaged. are focused on,” he said.
These hands-on activities began immediately at the camp, when the children arrived on Wednesday and began filling the mannequin’s leg with gauze to stop the bleeding.
Campers also participated in cardiopulmonary resuscitation training with the support of the Wheeling Ohio County Department of Health, where agency personnel demonstrated wound care, IV placement, and how to record the heart’s electrical activity using an electrocardiogram. .
Kerrigan Moses, a sophomore at Wheeling Park High School, said her favorite part of camp was “all the hands-on activities,” especially suturing.
“I had never done anything like this before camp,” Moses explained. “I loved getting new exposure to everything.”
Moses added that she was interested in becoming a flight nurse because campers took a tour of the Healthnet emergency helicopter that landed on the Wheeling University campus.
Campers also got to see the inside of an Ohio County Emergency Services ambulance and how splints are used inside.
Wheeling University also leveraged its resources for the camp, and a highlight for campers was the brand new 3D anatomy and virtual dissection table. On the screen of a human-sized tablet, participants saw an enhanced visualization of different body parts and body systems.
“The 3D table is very helpful for campers to visualize exactly what is going on inside their bodies,” explained Emery. “Using tables and mannequins, children get a comprehensive view of the anatomy they work with when helping patients.”
The camp serves as a fun two-day introduction to the potential careers in the medical field for students in grades 8-12, while outreach to children helps to ensure that “a great need exists.” Yes,” Emery explained, hoping to see more interest in the medical field. For new employees.
“We are short of sufficient talent, particularly nursing graduates, to meet the state’s needs,” Emery said. “Young people across the country, not just West Virginia, need to be interested in health science.”
Camp instructor and Wheeling Ohio County Emergency Management Department employee Tony Campbell stresses the importance of camps teaching children how to stay calm and help in an emergency. did.
“I think it’s good for students to know what to do if there’s an emergency at school, for example,” Campbell said. “It gives them confidence compared to others who have no experience.”
These are also good life skills to have as they will help you be prepared and ready when a car accident or other type of accident occurs. ”
The camp began as a one-day event in 2022, but was able to expand to two days of instruction this year with the help of a $5,000 grant from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Board, Emery explained. did.
She hopes the camp will continue to grow and reach more children in Ohio County.
“We want to introduce children to opportunities in these areas before they go to college,” Emery said. “Because of the need for employment in all areas of medicine, we hope to get them into health sciences before they get interested in anything else.”