|
 Sometimes respiratory therapists go willingly to the front lines in an effort to pull impressionable young adults into the profession.
One such individual is Keith Purdy, RRT, a respiratory therapist at Cape Regional Medical Center in Cape May Courthouse, N.J. He serves as one of the mentors for the center's Medical Explorers program, a career education project sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America.
That group of young men and women meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month from October through April when a hardy band of medical center volunteers works with a dozen or more teens, offering them an opportunity to explore health care career options. As an incentive to get teens to attend, staff provide world-class chocolate chip cookies rumored to be without rival.
Medical Explorers brings together quizzical youths seeking career and educational paths and experienced health care professionals. The distinctive partnership provides a unique backdrop for forming new friendships and offers high school participants an opportunity to receive first-hand experience in the vast arena of health care careers, vital to their eventual decision making.
As part of the opportunities available, the youths have a unique opportunity to shadow caregivers in areas of specific interest. The combination of instruction and front-line experience provides them with an understanding of the many options available.
"The program gives teens the opportunity to choose a career path early in their academic career," noted Keith Babore, BS, RT, director of diagnostic imaging and a co-program facilitator at the medical center. "This helps set the roadmap for their curriculum, enabling them to achieve their health care career goals much sooner."
The opportunities are not lost on program participants. Zach Frankel, a graduate of Wildwood Catholic High School, Wildwood, N.J., is now a freshman in the Respiratory Care Program at Atlantic Cape Community College's campus in Cape May Courthouse.
After looking at different areas of the health care environment over a two-year span, Frankel narrowed his career choice to respiratory care, thanks to the efforts of Purdy.
"After shadowing Keith Purdy, I was able to make a definitive decision to become a respiratory therapist." Frankel explained. The young man early on knew he wanted to be involved in health care, but he wasn't sure of the particular arena. Now Purdy can be credited with attracting at least one newcomer to the profession.
"I've been involved with speaking to the Medical Explorers for two years," said Purdy. "I speak with a group of about 15 kids twice a year for about two hours each time."
But it is not just talk. "One of my favorite parts of the presentation is when I get to let the kids try out some of the equipment we as respiratory therapists use." Among the items: peak flow meters, PEP valves, flutter devices and incentive spirometers.
"I have them perform an FVC using a portable PFT machine so I can discuss pulmonary diagnostics and also demonstrate fiber optic bronchoscopy and intubation on an airway manikin," he added.
Purdy is just one caregiver involved with the Explorer program. Others are drawn in by two other co-facilitators: Sue Guilliams and Sue Tabor, both RNs.
Read more stories about respiratory and sleep leaders doing good deeds in their department and community at our Tell Us Your Story page. Do you know a colleague we should interview? Submit your nomination and we'll tell their story!
|