Schools

Students Work 'Job for a Day' at Inova

Program gives Loudoun County Public Schools juniors a taste of potential careers.

As part of the School Business Partnership’s Job for a Day program, more 350 students from around the county this month shadowed area professionals in an attempt to figure out their futures.

Businesses across the county participated this year. Inova Loudoun Hospital hosted more than one-third of the participants, including three who met briefly with Patch on March 16.

Tuscarora High School’s Michael Stefanick, 17, participated because he “possibly” may go into a medical field.

Find out what's happening in Ashburnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We’re doing a project in my biology class,” he explained. “That got me thinking.”

Inova Loudoun Radiology Clinic Coordinator Judy Iskandar took Stefanick under her wing after learning his interests.

Find out what's happening in Ashburnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“He likes computers and toys,” she said, as she demonstrated how to use the advanced features on a high-tech Digital Radiography machine, also known as a digital X-ray machine. “X-ray gets the best toys in the whole place.”

Over at the hospital’s Claude Moore Simulation Lab, or Sim Lab, students Katie Printz and Jason Liou were getting acquainted with SimMan 3G and MegaCode Kelly, two simulation dummies that help train hospital staff at various levels.

Printz, 16, a student at Potomac Falls High School is considering a future in environmental or biological research and hoped the experience would help her focus within those areas.

“I’m still kind of exploring the field. That’s why I’m here," she said, adding that the program allows her to truly see what various jobs are like. "I like the hands-on stuff."

Liou, who may consider going into business with his father one day, hoped to learn about the functionality and business aspects of civil services.

“I’m more into business and seeing how a government facility or a hospital works,” the 16-year-old Freedom High School student explained.

The Sim Lab allows perpetual on-site training at the hospital, which can be particularly useful for helping employees learn new equipment or getting new employees up to speed on the hospital's array of equipment. In addition, to doctors, nurses and EMTs, Inova teaches CPR classes in the lab to the public and trains students from Northern Virginia Community College, the C.S. Monroe Technology Center at the lab and the Medical Explorers Club.

“This is state-of-the art,” said Skip Harkness, director of engineering and patient transportation, offering details about the lab. “I don’t think there’s a week that goes by without training.”

SimMan and MegaCode can simulate blood pulsing through veins and air pumping through bodies. They cough, cry, blink, sweat, vomit and even die. One flat-lined during Printz’ and Liou’s visit, thanks to a demonstration by Clinical Specialist Donna Joseph. Medical staff can practice chest tube insertions, tracheostomies and responding to heart attacks.

Other members of the Sim Lab family include MegaCode Kid for pediatric training and SimNewB for neonatal resuscitation and newborn emergency care training.

The dummies weigh the same as typical patients to simulate moving in and out of bed as well. Lifts, which were recently installed in every room, now assist with that exercise, with the intended goal of improving patient safety, and reducing nurse and other hospital staff injuries.

A $450,000 donation from the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation paid for the lab, including the dummies, one of which cost about $125,000.

 “It was a fantastic gift,” Harkness said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here