TUCSON, Ariz, - The Pima JTED healthcare programs recently won an award for implementing innovative techniques and tools all while teaching students to care for patients with compassion.
The programs were awarded the Golden Bell Award by the Arizona School Board Association back in December of 2019.
This school year 550 students enrolled in one of the five healthcare pathways.
Beth Francis, the Pima JTED health programs manager told KGUN9 they've seen roughly 93% of students in their healthcare programs go into the healthcare workforce.
"To get them exposed to the great opportunities they can have once they get through high school and then potentially go into college, they can go into entry level employment. These young people are not only graduating with a high school diploma but they are also graduating with multiple licensees and certifications," said Francis.
One of the innovative teaching techniques the Pima JTED health care programs have incorporated is the Virtual Dementia Tour.
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The tour allows students to get a first-hand look and experience into what it is like for a person with Dementia to try and achieve every day tasks.
"We teach them about how do you care for that person who's lying in that bed, it's not just that person lying in that bed with a disease and a disorder but it's a human being," said Francis.
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Pima JTED students also study narrative medicine. They joined the 'I'm Here: Compassionate Communication in Patient Care' movement, which pushes to keep the importance of compassion in the healthcare field.
If you'd like to learn more about enrolling your student into a Pima JTED program, click here.
