“They always tell us you have to be uncomfortable to get comfortable. I definitely saw a lot of things that we did within the boot camp when testing.”
Many programs at Francis Tuttle Technology Center include industry certifications, allowing students to earn credentials that showcase real-world skills and knowledge. For the high school juniors and seniors in the Pre-Nursing program, completing the Nurse Aide (NA) certification prepares them to enter the healthcare field or pursue an adult health program.
As new instructors on the Rockwell Campus, Chelsea Cutright, Rachel Watkins, and Melissa Weingartner saw an opportunity to try a new approach to test preparation. They wanted certification testing to feel less intimidating and more familiar for students.
“We brainstormed trying to figure out what we could do that would get the students a little bit more engaged and paying attention to how important preparing for the skills and written part of the test was,” Weingartner shared.
That planning led to the creation of a “Pre-Nursing Boot Camp,” an intensive review process designed to help students prepare for their exams.
“We wanted to push them out of their comfort zone just a little bit in order to really prepare them,” Cutright said. “The three of us are new instructors, and so we said what can we do to really help them focus and realize how important this entire year is, especially right before state certification. We said let’s try it, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll readjust.”
The approach proved successful, as 81 of 83 students passed both portions of their exams.
After spring break, students were given a new skills book with seven practice scenarios to work through. The first six scenarios were peer-led, with students playing the roles of nurse aide, resident, or judge. The last scenario was completed one-to-one between an instructor and student to mimic the skills state testing environment.
“We created the groups so they could work with people they hadn’t worked with previously, people out of their friend group,” Watkins explained. “Kind of like in a real-world situation, they were going to be working with people they hadn’t worked with before.”
Each scenario combined the skills students had learned throughout the year, including handwashing, vital signs, patient transfers, ambulations, denture care, and bed baths.
“Since we don’t know what’s going to be on the state test, we had to do almost a review of each skill they’ve learned and checked off with,” Watkins said. “This was a refresher for them.”
According to the instructors, some students initially questioned the amount of practice and repetition involved in the boot camp. Once testing began, many students recognized the value of the preparation, and Watkins said one student even commented she felt over-prepared.
“I’ve had several students who have told me that what was most helpful was the scenarios and putting all those skills together,” Cutright said. “Throughout the year, you learn them individually, and the scenarios kind of make it the big picture.”
For recent Putnam City North High School graduate Trinity Nealy, the boot camp helped ease testing nerves while encouraging teamwork among classmates.
“It helped us focus on the things that we need to focus on with the skills and learning and making sure we’re on top of it,” Nealy said. “I was a little nervous, but I felt more prepared. I wasn’t as nervous because we studied and I was with my classmates. We built off each other and helped each other.”
Madison Payne, who recently finished her junior year at Edmond Memorial High School, echoed that thought, adding she enjoyed working with new peers.
“They always tell us you have to be uncomfortable to get comfortable,” Payne shared. “I definitely saw a lot of things that we did within the boot camp when testing. I feel like we were way more focused than we would usually be, and I think it was a good idea for us to go through boot camp. It was actually kind of fun.”
The instructors said their ultimate goal, not just with the boot camp but in the program overall, is helping students feel confident as they begin careers in healthcare.
“Our goal is our students' success,” Cutright said. “We want to see them go far with their career in healthcare.”