Part I in a series: Patient Care
Career Institute North (CIN), one of three Dallas ISD career institutes, is no ordinary high school. It’s an educational ecosystem where students delve into a number of practicum courses and graduate with up to four certifications in highly employable fields.
Patient Care at CIN
The health science cluster at CIN, also known as “patient care,” allows students the chance to step into a lifelike simulation of a hospital room and perform a number of medical procedures using “medical manikins” of different ages and genders. Closely resembling a person, a manikin can be programmed to blink, speak, and cry. Each of CIN’s manikins lies in its own hospital bed and is hooked up to a vital signs monitor.Aside from the ability to check a patient’s temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and breathing rate, students can also draw blood, place an electrocardiogram, perform CPR, and more.
“The simulation provides students with a safe, realistic learning environment, where it is okay if they make a mistake. The best part is students can learn from their mistakes acquired in a simulation and apply it to their real clinical or externship practice,” said Deborah Sanso, Phlebotomy and EKG teacher. “The old way of learning required students to learn through repetition and memorization. However, with CIN’s innovative learning approach, students learn through simulated human-like interaction. Our students find this type of learning collaborative and fun.”
The Healthcare Therapeutic program of study introduces students to occupations and educational opportunities related to diagnosing and treating acute, episodic, or chronic illness independently or as part of a healthcare team. While pursuing a career in the health science industry, students will learn to reason, think critically, make decisions, solve problems, communicate effectively, and work well with others.At CIN, students spend half a day every other day immersed in a unique, innovative approach to education that sets them apart in the competitive job market. Classes are led by industry leaders with years of experience, and students learn through labs, internships, or independent study. CIN serves five Dallas ISD campuses: Conrad, Hillcrest, North Dallas, Thomas Jefferson, and W.T. White high schools.
Interested in learning about CIN and other career institutes in Dallas ISD? Visit dallasisd.org/careerinstitutes or contact careerinstitutes@dallasisd.org.
