May 17
Foundations of Medicine I
This has been an amazing year at CAPS! I am going to miss all my seniors who I had the pleasure of teaching! You all have very bright futures and I hope to stay in touch with you all as you pursue your dreams. Each and every one of you were a pleasure to teach and thank you for letting me inspire you and hopefully find your passion! The best of luck as you pursue your dreams!
I also want to personally thank all my guest speakers and the hard working people outside of CAPS that made our site visits possible throughout the semester! You are all amazing people and you each helped make our program stronger! Thank you.
This semester just seemed to fly by and I cannot believe it is over! We are in the final stages of wrapping up an amazing year! The students will be working independently on some shadowing opportunities and individual CPR certification. I cannot believe that in a couple of weeks we will be out for the summer! I am thankful for this teaching opportunity and look forward to being back for next year. Again, thank you to all the people who visited our class or let us visit your facility. May you all have a great summer and hope to see you all again next year! God Bless.
Foundations of Medicine II
Wow, this spring weather has really been good for Stan Manikin. Two weeks in a row and we have not seen hide nor hair of him at CAPS Medical Center! Not to worry, he is fine. One of the students saw him just the other day driving his red convertible. His grandson, Sam, was in the passenger seat. You may recall that Sam had an unfortunate accident in Stan’s red convertible last month. Well, Stan got his car back from the body shop and is back to doing what he loves- cruising with the top down.
The seniors brought treats and we celebrated the semester with “game day”. Talented surgeons were discovered as we played “Operation.” Students were also able to demonstrate their diagnostic skills by asking questions and figuring out the diagnosis that was stuck to their backs. Finally, we paired up to play a board game called, “The Thinking Health Professional.” The students’ competitive natures emerged and the scores were close, but finally the victors emerged. Of course, there were chocolate prizes.
Final quizzes were taken this week. The students did a phenomenal job demonstrating all they have learned over the course of the semester. These students have bright futures, indeed!
May 10
Foundations of Medicine II
Those of you who have been following the life and times of Stan Manikin will be shocked to hear that he was not a patient at CAPS Medical Center this week! Now that spring has finally “sprung”, we hear that he has been spending time in his garden which he enjoys. The activity, fresh air, and sunshine are helping him feel much better in recent days.
The students had opportunities to showcase semester long research projects to their peers. It was evident that a lot of learning had occurred and much preparation had gone into these intriguing research projects. This week, the students were also asked to come up with a public service announcement about skin cancer prevention. The presentations were creative, fun, well-researched, comprehensive, accurate, entertaining, educational, and informative! Great Job!
We were again blessed to have Meg Holloway, M.S., R.N. A.P.R.N., spend Wednesday with us. She engaged the students in fascinating discussions about the power of therapeutic touch which transitioned into important information on conditions of the skin, including carcinoma, melanoma, treatment, and prevention. It is always a great day when Mrs. Holloway shares her expertise with us!
Foundations of Medicine III
This week marked the final full week of class for the FOMIII students. Students were able to select a project to complete for their class final and all have been submitted. On Tuesday we viewed a documentary on the medical effects of a poor diet. On Wednesday we joined in the FOM II class for a video and discussion of medical ethics. Thursday was the senior appreciation ceremony. Friday students attended their senior picnic.
May 3
Foundations of Medicine 1
We completed our unit on nephrology and hematology with the students this week. The students learned about blood typing and other blood borne pathogens. To complete the unit the students performed a Blood Typing Test to figure out their blood type by using lancets to draw their own blood for ABO and Rh factor blood typing. The students did an amazing job and I am happy with their results and presentations made on the subject.
We had a fairly busy week with a variety of guest speakers visiting our classroom. Thank you Dr. Daniel Gilstrap, Dr. Amit and Vadance Kumar for speaking to our students about UMKC School of Dentistry and the dental profession. Thank you Jennifer Otts and Dave Hess and Siemens for coming into our classroom and teaching our students sonography. The students loved every minute of your presentations!
The best part our week was being able to take part in some amazing programs! Our first offsite visit was to Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Kansas City, MO. Thank you Dr. Abdul Haleem and Mr. Robert Kent for creating a wonderful opportunity for our students to shadow your doctors and see your amazing facility. The students enjoyed the activities and learned a ton! Thank you.
We wrapped up our week with one of the highlights of our semester! The students had the opportunity to be put into a teaching role with a focus on nutrition and wellness for school age children. We were able to pair up Body Ventures
http://www.bodyventure.org/BVMenus/Home_BV.html and Stanley Elementary to teach their students about "Eat Smart! Play Hard!" First and fore most thank you Barb Ellison and Donna Missimer for reaching out to our program and allowing our students to take part in an amazing program! Secondly, thank you to all the Stanley Elementary Staff for opening your doors to our students and sharing your students with us.
They were all very well behaved, energetic and fun to teach! Thirdly, thank you Judi, Darrell and Kate of Body Ventures for allowing our students to be a part of your amazing program! We had a ton of fun and enjoyed every minute of it! Thank you. We look forward to future collaborations with you and your Body Ventures program!
As you can see, it is always a jam packed week for the Foundations of Medicine program! Next week we will be conducting CPR Certifications, visiting Cerner and learning about Venipuncture. Again, thank you to everyone who made this week a success and have a great week!
Foundations of Medicine II
Since Stan Manikin is sick so often, Sim Lab instructor, Mrs. Bacon, decided to attend iStan training last week. She was not able to figure out why Stan is sick so often, but she did come back with lots of useful information on how to treat whatever ails him. While away, Meg Holloway, M.S., R.N., A.P.R.N. filled in for Mrs. Bacon. The students thoroughly enjoyed having Mrs. Holloway facilitate discussions about medical ethics. The students were given time to research actual cases and then present that information to the rest of the class. It proved to be a very valuable time of learning about the ethical side of medical practice.
This week Stan Manikin presented to the CAPS Medical Center on Tuesday complaining of severe mid-back pain, abdominal pain, nausea, and difficulty urinating. After obtaining a history from Stan, the students ordered a CT scan, labs, and a urinalysis. The test results indicated a kidney stone lodged in his left ureter (ureterlithiasis). Stan underwent a ureteroscopy and was able to go home the next day. He told us this week that his medical co-pays are really taking a toll on his financial situation. I hope, for his sake, that Stan can stay away from CAPS Medical Center for a while! We’ll see……
Foundations of Medicine III
This week we reviewed oncology with students choosing a particular form of cancer to research. Their results were presented on Tuesday and Wednesday. Our site visit to the waste treatment plant on Thursday was again canceled due to inclement weather, so we watched a video on GMO’s. On Friday we listened to a speaker who is doing cancer research.
April 26
Foundations of Medicine I
It was a very productive week for our students. We completed certifications for intubations and chest tube insertions. We also did a refresher unit on suturing and surgical knots for the students to let them practice their suturing skills!
Overall, the students are doing an exceptional job at working on their skills and we have mastered a variety of skills. We have a few more skills sets to work on and will be working on focus exams with a focus on elbow, wrist and shoulder injuries over the next couple of weeks.
Next week we will be traveling to Kansas City VA Medical Center for an all day visit to see their facilities and gain some valuable experience in the future of health care. Again, thank you for all our doctors and nurses who took time out of your busy schedules to visit our classroom and talk to our students! Your expertise and insights to the profession are greatly appreciated! Thank you.
Foundations of Medicine II and III
With Robin Bacon out of town this week, the FOM II and III classes were combined. Our topic for Mon-Wed was medical ethics. Students researched several historic cases involving medical ethic issues and then presented their findings as a group. The cases researched were: Cruzan v Mo Dept of Health, Henrietta Lacks and HeLa cells, the Tuskegee syphilis experiment and “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down”. On Thursday we watched a Mike Mosley video called “Guts”, which was essentially an endoscopic trip through the digestive system. Friday, we had a guest speaker, Donnie Keaney, who is a pharmacy student. Meg Holloway was a guest speaker, as well, on Tues and Wed.
April 19
Foundations of Medicine I
It is hard to believe that in less than 3 weeks our seniors will be graduating! Time sure does fly when you are having fun! The students this week had a very productive week. We wrapped our unit on Rheumatology with a focus on blood work and metastatic diseases. The students worked on blood draws, and blood typing protocols where we finished our week with a blood draw lab to figure out each students blood type. The students have progressed nicely and are efficient in a variety of skills sets that will pay off for them in the near future!
We had several guest speakers this week, who were very insightful and helped our students see the variety of schooling that is out there for our students to choose from! Thank you UMKC for showing us your traditional and non-traditional routes for medicine. Thank you Dr. Terri Levine for speaking to our students and for allowing our students to ask you a ton of questions!. I also want to thank all the other people in the background, who make our lives so much easier here at CAPS! Thank you to PJ Tuma, Alyson Slack, Jon Newcomb and Lisa Bertels for all your hard work and helping us when we need it! You all rock! Thank you to Dr. Steve Ellis, Dr. Hussain Haideri, and Dr. Abdul Haleem for allowing us to visit your establishments.
Next week will have visits from KUMED, UMKC and Kansas City VA Medical Center to show the students a variety of clinical settings. Our class will focus on IV Placement, Venipuncture and Central Line Placements with a skills lab set for the end of the week! It will be another packed week with tons of hands-on fun! Have a great week and god bless.
Foundations of Medicine II
Last week Stan’s grandson took Stan’s new car out for a spin without permission and wound up in a major fender bender. Grandson Sam’s arm was broken and needed surgical repair, but he is recovering well. The car is still in the shop. Evidently, all this stress got to Stan. He was back in the CAPS emergency department with severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting this week. The students noticed that Stan’s skin had a yellowish green hue and the whites of his eyes had a greenish discoloration. They recognized these signs as jaundice and began to investigate the root cause. Based on their knowledge from class, the students honed in on the liver and gall bladder as the culprit. Labs and a CT scan were ordered which revealed gall stones (choleylithiasis).
The students treated Stan with opiate pain medication, anti-emetic medication for nausea, IV fluids for dehydration from the vomiting, and potassium supplementation for an electrolyte imbalance also related to the vomiting. A Gastroenterologist was consulted and the students began to prep Stan for a Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal). He is recovering nicely and will go home later today……as long as Grandson Sam can get the old pick-up truck to start!
Foundations of Medicine III
Tuesday we listened to a presentation by Meg Hollaway on the digestive system. Wednesday we began our health/nutrition/lifestyle unit by viewing a Mike Mosley video over research in the field of exercise physiology. Thursday we had a presentation by Annette Braun, a certified trainer/nutritionist from High Blue Wellness Center. On Friday we toured Quintiles drug trial facilities in Overland Park.
April 12
Foundations of Medicine I
It was a great and very busy week for our students. We started our week by embarking on an all-day event at Cleveland Chiropractic College where our students learned about holistic medicine and the components involved in becoming a chiropractor. Thank you Dr. Carl Cleveland III and staff for your hospitality and amazing day! Our students were treated like queens and kings; we were feed breakfast and lunch and spent our day touring CCC-KS. The highlight of our visit was getting into the Human Cadaver Lab and being able to spend time in Gross Anatomy. The students did an amazing job and impressed the instructors at CCC-KS so much they have asked us to come back for future endeavors! Thank you Foundations of Medicine students for bringing your A-Game and standing out in the crowd! Great Job!
The rest of our week was spent wrapping up our Gastroenterology Unit where the students learned about upper and lower gastrointestinal problems and how to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with GI problems. We focused in on the use of x-ray, MRI, CT Scans and other diagnostic exams such as endoscopy and colonoscopy to help locate GI Tract Problems in patients with a variety of signs and symptoms.
We will wrap up our week with one of the best demonstrations of the semester! Today, Dr. Abdul Haleem an orthopedic surgeon will demonstrate the common knee and hip problems a patient will have from acute to chronic. He will wrap up his presentation by showing our students how to perform a hip or knee replacement surgery in a mock surgical simulation. The students will gain firs- hand experience on how to perform the surgery and learn about the post-surgery treatment of the patient. Again, thank you for the amazing presentation Dr. Haleem, and for helping us facilitate the visit to Kansas City VA Medical Center in the upcoming weeks.
I also want to thank Dr. Allison Hettinger, Dr. Jennifer Brown and Dr. Hussain Haideri for visiting our classroom to talk to the students about your profession and for offering us insights on how to get through medical school and how to choose your profession wisely. Thank you. Next week we visit UMKC School of Medicine. Our focus for next week will be on nephrology and hematology where the students will work through a blood borne pathogen, and learn how to type their own blood type. It should be another exciting week! Have a great week!
Foundations of Medicine II
You’ll never guess who was admitted to the CAPS Emergency Department this week. It was Stan Manikin’s 17 year old grandson, Sam! While Stan continued to recuperate at home from his recent bout with pneumonia, Sam made an unwise decision to borrow his Grandpa Stan’s new red convertible without permission. As misfortune would have it, Sam was hit on the driver’s side as another car sped through a yellow light. Bystanders called 9-1-1, and Sam was brought to the CAPS Emergency Department.
The CAPS medical team diagnosed Sam with a fracture of the left radius that needed surgical repair. The students contacted Sam’s parents, obtained consent, prepared Sam for surgery, and took him to the OR where they were able to place a plate and screws (virtually on their laptop computers) to stabilize the bone. He was discharged the next day and now Stan and Sam are both at home recuperating. However, Sam will have an extended period of recuperation because it will be followed by a generous grounding! Sam was pretty lucky to have avoided more serious injuries. As for Grandpa Stan’s convertible…..well, that’ a different story!
Foundations of Medicine III
On Monday, students began their research of the reproductive system. On Tuesday, students presented their findings and we discussed the anatomy and physiology of the reproductive processes. Wednesday was SIM lab in which students treated a patient with asthma. This was also the first opportunity for students to observe themselves in action, as we were able to use the video equipment in the SIM lab for the first time. Thursday, site visit to Johnson Co Water Treatment Plant was canceled due to the weather, so we watched and discussed a video on genetic coding. Friday was our site visit to Heart-To-Heart International in KCK.
April 5
Foundations of Medicine I
It was another busy week for the Foundations of Medicine students! We started our next unit in the course: Gastroenterology. The students were introduced to a variety of upper and lower GI Tract problems with a focus on how to diagnose, treat and help a patient manage their GI disorder. To gain further understanding and put our skills into practical use, the students were given time to research a variety of GI Disorders and gain some background information to work at creating patient scenarios that we plan on working into our simulation lab for future classes to explore. The students made their initial presentation this Thursday and have been given time to make revisions. Overall, the students did a great job in designing some simulations, and with revisions, we will have a couple to test our students skills in future classes.
During week we had the pleasure of conducting two off-site labs. Our first lab was at St. Luke's College of Health Sciences where our students learned the basic components of a mock surgery and learned the roles each person plays in a surgery! The students successfully completed an amputation of a chicken leg on a dead chicken. The students meet the challenge head-on and completed it with ease! Great Job! I also want to thank Cindy Bradley and Sharon Lewis-White for opening their doors to our students, and for working us through a hands-on and fun lab! The kids had a blast and we learned a ton!
Our second lab was at Dr. Steve Ellis's Office at Head and Neck Surgery of KC where our students got to see first-hand how a ENT doctor conducts business and the skills that their job requires. Our students learned how to use a laryngoscope and place tubes in the ear. Thank you Dr. Ellis and your amazing staff for creating a fun and interactive lab for our students to work and learn from! I also want to thank Mr. Joe Hunter our FOM III Instructor for taking the kids to this visit in my absence.
We finished our week back in the classroom with a lab geared to test the students’ vision and visual acuity. The students worked through a variety of stations to revisit skills on the eye exam and further expand our knowledge on vision and the visual components of the eye. Next week we will be in and out of the classroom for the majority of the week with site visits scheduled to an eye doctor, a dentist and an all-day event at Cleveland Chiropractic College. Again, thank you to all the people who help make our program a success! Your hard work does not go unnoticed and it is greatly appreciated by me and our students. Thank you.
March 30
Foundations of Medicine I
I was thankful for the break and it was nice to recharge and refocus, but I was glad to see my students again and ready to hit the ground running! We started our first day back in class with a simulation lab focused on treating a patient who was experiencing chest problems brought on by a collapsed lung. The students faced the task of identifying his problem, and had to figure out how to treat it to prevent the patient from going into hypotension and dying as a result of his collapsed lung. The students did an amazing job and their willingness to learn, even when struggling to master a new task, has allowed them to grow professionally and mentally. I also want to take the time to thank Mrs. Robin Bacon for collaborating with me and helping our students be successful in a complex and challenging lab!
During the week, we wrapped our unit on Oncology, and completed learning components for the HEENT Exam. The students have become very proficient in using a otoscope and opthalmoscope to identify some common abnormalities with the eyes, ears, nose and throat. The students also worked on their intubation skills and placement of chest tubes with a majority of the students earning certificates of proficiency for the HEENT Exam, Intubation and Chest tube Insertion. Great job!
The students complete the week with an Eye Dissection Lab, where they faced the task of dissecting our a cow, sheep, and pig eyeball to learn the external and internal anatomy of the eye. This also helps them to gain understanding on the physiology of the eye so they become more efficient at the Eye Exam on the HEENT Exam. The students did a great job of dissecting and took the time to really learn the material! Thank you Dr. Robert Bonness for visiting the classroom, and helping us conduct our dissections. The students and enjoyed your talk about your profession as an Emergency Room doctor, and were thankful to have another person in the room to help conduction the dissections and teach the A&P of the Eye. Thank you and hopefully we can get you back for some more classes!
We also had a wide variety of guest speakers from Nurse Practitioners to Emergency Room Doctors visit our classroom and present to our students. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and visit our facilities and offer instruction to our students! It is your passion for medicine that helps fuel our students’ passion for medicine, and your help is greatly appreciated by me and our students. Thank you.
Next week we will be conducting some off site visits. We plan on heading to Saint Luke's College of Health Sciences in Westport to work our students through a simulation surgery and suturing lab to refresh our suturing skills. We also have planned site visits to Dr. Steven Ellis's office to work our student through an ENT Exam, and learn how to use a laryngoscope and place tubes into a ear. It is going to be a fairly packed and busy semester for our students and I look forward to seeing how they grow professionally and mentally as we work to completion for our course! Have a great day and be safe!
Foundations of Medicine II
Stan Manikin had another rough week. Despite all the opportunities and health education to get an influenza vaccination this fall, he did not get one! This proved to be an unfortunate decision, indeed. Over spring break Mr. Manikin was very ill with the “flu”. Because of his other health issues, he was not able to completely recuperate. The influenza progressed into right lower lobe bacterial pneumonia which brought him back to CAPS Medical Center.
The Foundations of Medicine II students were quick to assess Mr. Manikin, administer oxygen, and order an EKG and chest x-ray. Labs were ordered to identify the most effective treatment options. IV fluids and IV antibiotics were then started and Mr. Manikin was feeling better in no time. Our respiratory therapist had many opportunities to administer breathing treatments and instruct Mr. Manikin on the proper use of the incentive spirometer.
There’s never a dull moment in the CAPS medical simulation lab. It’s almost as exciting as Grey’s Anatomy! Stay tuned….
Foundations of Medicine III
The topic this week for the FOM III class was neurology and the students spent Monday researching the anatomy, physiology, and diseases associated with the nervous system. Tuesday, students presented their findings and we discussed these as a group. Wednesday we heard a presentation from Dr. Cassie McKarnin who has a family practice in Olathe, and is a patron of the Blue Valley School District. Thursday was SIM lab which involved diagnosing and treating a patient with symptoms of pneumonia. Friday, we looked at four case studies with the goal of determining the medical issues for each patient. We also discussed the conditions of ADD/ADHD, depression, and bipolar disorder.
March 8
Foundations of Medicine I
I cannot believe how fast time flies when you are having fun! The students finished out the 3rd quarter strong and have earned a well-deserved break! The students spent the week learning about the various disorders of the eyes, ears, nose and throat with a focus on how to diagnose and treat a variety of disorders. We also completed an in depth review on the protocols for the HEENT Exam, and are preparing for certification tests when we get back from spring break. I am very proud of the students’ hard work and their willingness to take on new challenges this quarter, and look forward to seeing how they progress as we go in more in depth during the 4th quarter.
I also want to take the time to thank the following individuals for coming into our classroom and teaching us! Thank you Mrs. Meg Halloway for teaching us how to do a clinical breast examination and educating our students about breast cancer treatment protocols and breast cancer prevention. Thank you Mrs. Terri Murray for educating us on the profession of nursing and showing us how it feels to be a pediatric recovery nurse at Children's Mercy Hospital. Thank you both for the great presentations and activities that challenged us, and helped fuel our passions to seek out more information in the amazing field of medicine.
We will begin the 4th quarter, with a mad dash to the finish line, saving the best for last! During the 4th quarter, we have scheduled site visits to Dr. Steve Ellis' Office, Dr. Hussain Haideri's office, UMKC, Cleveland Chiropractic College, Cerner and Saint Luke's Health System. We will also work at completing certification for Laryngoscopy, Venipuncture, BLS with CPR and AED Usage, and strive every day to grow professionally. Again, have a safe and enjoyable break! Take care and God Bless.
Foundations of Medicine II
This may be hard to believe, but we did not see Stan Manikin in the CAPS Emergency Department this week. Our medical staff was rather surprised! I sure hope he is doing okay. It actually worked out because it gave the students time to work on their bio molecular research projects. They filmed pharmaceutical commercials in small groups. We viewed the commercials for hypertensive prescription medications as a group…..and were we ever entertained! What a bunch of creative writers, actors, and “commercial makers!” We survived test #2 as a sendoff to Spring Break. When we return from Spring Break we will continue studying the pulmonary system. I sure hope Stan doesn’t get pneumonia…
Foundations of Medicine III
Last week the FOM III class finished there unit on the integumentary system by presenting on the anatomy and physiology of the system, along with a review of the various diseases and treatments associated with the skin. Particular emphasis was placed on the three major forms of skin cancer; squamous cell carcinoma, basil cell carcinoma, and melanoma. On Thursday we traveled to Shawnee Mission Medical Center where we spent time in the OR doing simulations on arthroscopic and laparoscopic surgery. Friday we had our SIM lab with a patient suffering from congestive heart failure. This week we began our unit on neurology and the nervous system. We also listened to a guest speaker, Sharon White-Lewis who is an instructor at St Lukes. Her topic was treatment of pulmonary conditions.
March 8
Foundations of Medicine I
It was a great week for our Foundations of Medicine Students because we covered the complete components of the HEENT Exam and prepared for our second practicum of the semester! The students did a great job overall on their last written examination with a class average of more than 86%. I am very proud of the progress our students have made throughout the semester and they are developing into competent healthcare providers who have mastered the skills to complete a cardiovascular exam, lung and thorax exam and have developed skills sets in intubation, chest tube insertion and now completing the HEENT Exam! Great Job Students!
I also want to thank our guest speakers this week for taking time out of their busy schedule to visit our classroom and teach us about their profession. Thank you for all your help and for fueling the passion to be future healthcare providers in our students.
Next week we will be completing components in oncology with a focus on metastatic diseases where we will work through diagnosing, treating some of the common benign and metastatic tumors in the body. We will continue working on the HEENT Exam, going into identification of some common disorders for each component of the HEENT Exam. Have a great week!
Foundations of Medicine II
Our patient, Stan Manikin, managed to stay out of the hospital during our snowstorm. This allowed the Foundations of Medicine II students time to work on their poster projects. The students broke into groups to prepare and present their posters about the different kinds of anemia. They did a great job researching and presenting accurate information.
Shortly after the snow, Mr. Manikin managed to dig out and make it to the CAPS Emergency department once again. An EKG revealed a dangerously low heart rate, called bradycardia. Further lab tests revealed that the cause of the bradycardia was a hypothyroid condition. The students administered medications and our patient was feeling better in no time.
However, Mr. Manikin just can’t stay away. Before you know it, he was back in our facility with severe shortness of breath and edema (swelling). Radiology and lab tests confirmed a diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure. The students collaborated beautifully to provide excellent care to Stan and he is feeling much better. Hopefully, he can be discharged tomorrow.
The students have been working on a commercial this week. After viewing many examples, the students broke into small groups. Each group is responsible for researching and presenting an informative commercial about an antihypertensive medication. They will present their commercials next week. Professionalism interviews and a quiz are also in store for next week.
March 1
Foundations of Medicine I
I do not know who was more ready to get back to school, me or the students! I was thankful for the snow, and the break was nice, but I was ready to get back to work and ready to wrap up our current unit on Pulmonology. Over the snow break, the students spent time studying and preparing for their second written exam of the semester and prepped for a practicum on the Lung Exam in the upcoming week. I am excited to see how the students perform on the examination and practicum because they have progressed nicely in the course. Even though we have missed some days due to snow, the student's put in a lot of work to make-up for lost time! Great job fellow Foundation of Medicine students!
During the last couple of weeks, we had several guest speakers who came into our classroom to discuss topics of future patient healthcare and new protocols for standardized health. Thank you to Mike Fiorito and Ruta Flemming of Health Outcomes Sciences for talking about your profession and enlightening us on the future of healthcare. I also want to personally thank Dr. J. Douglas Cusick for taking time out of his busy schedule to visit CAPS and help teach our students on how to tie surgical knots and suturing basics. The students had a blast and we learned a ton!
We finished our week by completing a hands-on lab on Intubation of Patient. The Intubation Lab focused on the various ways we can control a patient's airway be it for surgery to rapid airway induction due to trauma. The students had a lot of fun trying to intubate, and it was nice to see them master a skill that looked and sounded difficult until they picked up the laryngoscope and did the procedure! Great Job!
Overall, the students have performed very well, and I am very proud of the progress they are making professionally in the course. We will be starting a new unit next week as we explore the field of Oncology and learn how to perform a HEENT Exam. Again, thank you to all the people who have helped make this course a success!
Foundations of Medicine III
We finished up the endocrine system with group presentations and began work on the integumentary system with a video on the use of the botulinium neurotoxin (Botox). Friday we had SIM lab with a patient suffering from bradycardia. We also continued work in our Basic Medical Language workbook.
February 15
Foundations of Medicine I
It was a fast and quick week for our Foundations of Medicine I students! We hit the ground running and covered a ton of material, where the students reviewed the respiratory system anatomy and physiology, and learned the basics of the lung exam. We spent our week listening to the abnormal and normal sounds of our lungs, and finished our week out by running a Pulmonary Function Lab where the students each had the chance to experience how it feels to run a patient through a PFT Test. We also had the pleasure of some great guest speakers who took time out of their schedules to educate our students about internal medicine and the pleasure of being a medical physician. Thank you for your words of wisdom and for fueling our passions for this profession. Next week will continue our work on the Respiratory System with a focus on the main types of lung problems in patients and how to recognize them, and treat them. Have a great week!
Foundations of Medicine II
Poor Mr. Manikin returned to the CAPS Medical Center this week with complaints of fatigue and shortness of breath. Our medical team quickly assessed Mr. Manikin, administered oxygen, and ordered a complete blood count. As a result of last week’s diagnosis of diabetes, we checked blood glucose levels as well. The labs indicated that blood sugar levels were within normal limits, however, our patient was anemic. Through additional lab testing, it was determined that Mr. Manikin had an iron deficiency anemia, which was treated quite easily with a unit of packed red blood cells and iron supplementation. Further history and assessment are needed to determine the cause of our patient’s iron deficiency. However, ever since Mrs. Manikin passed away 8 months ago, Mr. Mankin has had poor dietary habits, likely deficient in iron. Prior to discharge, Mr. Manikin received nutritional counseling from our “Registered Dietician” and instructions about taking iron supplements from our “Pharmacist.”
The FOM II students also worked in groups this week creating posters about the various types of anemia. They will give poster presentations to the class next week. We continue to work through our medical terminology workbook and practice by playing “Millionaire”. Although a million dollars wasn’t on the line, there were PayDay candy bars worth fighting for!
Foundations of Medicine III
In FOM III students began their review of the endocrine system. Monday and Tuesday students worked on a group presentation to include the anatomy and physiology of the endocrine system and the diseases and treatments associated with the endocrine glands. On Wednesday, Nic presented a slide show dealing with the field of hematology. We also reviewed terminology associated with the endocrine system. Thursday was spent in SIM lab dealing with a patient suffering from anemia.
February 1
Foundations of Medicine II
Foundations of Medicine II students had their first exam this week. What a bright group of kids! They are required to assimilate their knowledge of anatomy, pathophysiology, microbiology, lab values, diagnostic testing and treatments as they care for Stan Manikin.
This week Stan suffered another stroke, but thanks to early detection of warning signs and rapid intervention he survived with minimal residual disabilities.
The students are becoming more familiar with the concept of a multi-disciplinary team approach to patient care. Their roles vary from week to week during the simulation exercises. This week we had 2 RN’s, MD, Intern and Radiologist. Next week we will venture into the land of Endocrinology….stay tuned!
Foundations of Medicine III
The FOM III students continued this week with their cardiovascular unit. Monday we reviewed the information we covered the prior week and also went over the case study competition we are having next week. In this completion, students are divided into two teams and are responsible for developing a case dealing with a cardiovascular disease or problem. The case is then presented to the opposing team to see if they can determine problem. They must also develop treatment options, and a plan for the patient going forward. Teams will present their findings on Tuesday, Feb 8.
On Tuesday we had a guest speaker discuss the resources available online through the Medical Language Workbook we are using this semester. We also practiced using some of those resources. Wednesday was spent in the Accelerator developing team skills under the direction of Mr. Kreshel. Thursday we worked on our schedule for the month of February and assigned some upcoming units that the students will be expected to lead. Friday we had a guest speaker from the field of nursing and participated in a SIM lab involving a stroke patient.
January 25
Foundations of Medicine I
It was a short week for our students, but we hit the ground running and found our groove. The students finished up the Cardiology Unit this week with a practicum covering heart auscultation and components of the cardiovascular exam. Overall, the students did an amazing job and have mastered the skill of heart auscultation!
We finished our week with student presentations focused on cardiovascular diseases and cardiac problems. The students were asked to make a 10-minute presentation and teach the class about their cardiac disorder. The students did a great job with their presentations and we learned a lot from each student! Congrats on a job well done!
This week we had the pleasure of Dr. Scott Sher, a radiologist, who took time out of his busy schedule to help teach our students about basic radiography, MRI and CT-Scans. Thank you Dr. Sher for coming into our classroom and teaching our students. The students really enjoyed your presentation and we look forward to you coming back next semester!
Next week we will be wrapping up the Cardiology Unit and moving into Pulmonology where the students are going to break out the stethoscopes again, and focus on disorders of the lungs. Again, thank you to all our staff and mentors who have helped us thus far this semester! You are all lifesavers! Have a great week!
Foundations of Medicine II
The FOM II students were busy caring for Miguel Alvarez in the simulation lab this week. Mr. Alvarez’s son found him slumped over his desk at work, unable to speak, or move his left arm and leg. The son activated emergency medical services and a team of CAPS student paramedics and EMT’s arrived shortly. Mr. Alvarez was assessed and transported to the CAPS Medical Center Emergency Department. After stabilization, Mr. Alvarez was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit where he was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke. Antihypertensive medications and blood thinners were administered. Next week our patient will hopefully be recovered to the point we can transfer him to a rehabilitation facility and on the road to a full recovery! Stay tuned for next week’s simulation lab adventures!
Foundations of Medicine III
This week the Med III students reviewed the Cardiovascular System. Our primary focus was on the anatomy of the heart and the electrical impulses that control the contractions of the atria and ventricles. We looked at how EKG’s are used to detect these impulses and how abnormalities of the impulses can result in serious heart issues such as MI. Students reviewed the classification of waves as viewed in an EKG (P,Q,R,S,T), how they relate to the activities of the heart muscle, and how these waves can be interpreted to assess the overall health of the heart. Students (divided into teams) were assigned to develop a case study involving a cardiac issue. Once completed each team will attempt to assess the other team’s case and develop appropriate treatment for the patient. Our SIM lab this week involved a scenario in which a son discovers his father has suffered a stroke at work. Students were required to assess the situation and determine the appropriate medical steps to take, both as EMT’s and ER personnel.
January 18
Foundations of Medicine I
It has been a great week for the Foundations of Medicine Students! We had the pleasure of visiting the JCCC Simulation Labs where they ran us through some great simulations with their manikins. Thank you Kathy Carver and your team for welcoming us and helping our students run through and master some great case scenarios. We look forward to visiting you again, and hopefully can return before the semester ends.
We finished our week preparing for upcoming practicums for the cardiovascular exam and proper use of the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. The students have progressed nicely over the last couple of weeks, and worked really hard at bettering their skills in areas of auscultation and palpation of arteries and veins.
Next week we will be wrapping up our cardiovascular unit and moving into our pulmonology unit and hopefully will have our first iStan experience for the semester as we move into our own simulation lab to start using "Stan" to help us improve our diagnosing skills. Again, thank you to all our speakers, and outside professionals that have helped us get our semester started and rolling along! May you have a great three day weekend and be safe.
Foundations of Medicine II
The Foundations of Medicine II students continued getting acquainted with iStan, our high fidelity human simulator. Unfortunately, our patient took a fall at home and was brought to the emergency department at the CAPS Medical Center. Once he was settled into room 240 B, we were able to determine that there were no fractures. Although nothing was broken, our patient was quite sore from the fall, so we were able to provide pain meds and medical care.
The students had various roles as nurse, phlebotomist, radiologist, physician and nurse’s aide. They collaborated during the simulations and worked as a team to provide safe and effective health care to our patient, Stan. They are continuing to develop communication and professional skills as they incorporate those principles into the simulated work environment.
Stay tuned for the ongoing saga of our poor patient, Stan!
Foundations Medicine III
This week we reviewed the pulmonary system. One of our students presented a variety of information as it related to the anatomy and physiology of the pulmonary system, as well as disorders associated with the respiratory tract. In addition, we practiced our intubation and IV skills on one of the mannequins and performed our first SIM lab which involved an elderly patient with a possible hip fracture.
January 14
Foundations of Medicine I
First and foremost, I would like to thank all the mentors and guest speakers from last semester. Thank you all for opening your doors to us and visiting our class to allow us to gain insight on your amazing professions. We hope to schedule you back this semester as we embark on another journey. I hope your holiday break was restful and relaxing. I also want to welcome our new students and mentors to the CAPS Foundations of Medicine for Spring 2013. Welcome!
This semester is off and running with new students and new challenges. I am ready for new challenges that this semester holds for me and my students. I look forward to getting to know the students as we set out to master the art and philosophy of medicine. I am excited to see how my new students’ progress throughout the semester and grow professionally as we learn the art and philosophy of medicine.
I think the best word to describe this semester is "change." Changing of faces and changing of our focus to meet the needs of our students. This semester we will focus more on hands-on, individual projects for the students and strive to have more one-on-one time to answer questions and to go deeper into our topics for each unit. We still are focusing on developing skill sets that allow our students to separate themselves from the run-of-the-mill students who are applying for medical school to allow them to have an edge and increase their chances of getting into their medical school of choice. We will be covering more complex topics this semester to go deeper into areas of cardiology, oncology and rheumatology to just name a few.
Our first unit this semester is cardiology. As a class we will focus on pathology of disease, and work at using our clinical skills to help diagnosis and treat a variety of heart related problems. In order for us to become better clinicians, we reviewed the anatomy and physiology of the heart and learned how to diagnose some related problems of the heart by using the most important tool in our profession: "The Stethoscope!" Using the stethoscope, we worked on learning the components of the cardiac exam and I am very pleased with the progression the students have made this week as they learned how to use and read a blood pressure cuff, and a stethoscope as we auscultated the heart and lungs to search for murmurs and arrhythmias. We will end this unit with the students stepping into the teaching role, as they make presentations on a variety of cardiovascular diseases this upcoming Friday, January 18, 2013.
The students will also head to JCCC to their Simulation Lab to work through some medical simulations with their equipment to give them a taste without having to experience the real thing! Overall, I am very pleased with the hard work and professionalism that my new class is demonstrating this semester, and I look forward to seeing how they grow as the semester progresses. In order to gain a better insight on the class, please visit our new website at:
http://foundationsofmedicine2013.weebly.com/index.html
Again, thank you for all your help last semester, and I hope we get the chance to have you back in our classroom sometime this semester. Have a great day and a blessed week!
Foundations of Medicine II
The medical simulation lab debuted its high fidelity manikin the first week of the semester. “Stan the manikin” was brought to life and students were able to interact with iStan in an actual medical scenario. Students practiced therapeutic communication and professionalism as they cared for Stan. Basic skills such as obtaining vital signs and hand hygiene/infection control were practiced. Students put their stethoscopes to work as they explored the pulmonary and cardiac sounds of our unique “hi-fi” patient.
Our patient had taken a fall prior to admission to the CAPS Medical Center. The students brainstormed ideas to prevent patient falls and compared them to national standards. While awaiting the results of our patient’s hip x-ray, he was on bed rest. Prevention of “bed sores” or pressure ulcers was discussed and incorporated into the care of our patient.
Our book work included the origins of medical terminology and the meaning of basic prefixes and suffixes. We will be introducing our pharmacology text next week. We will discuss the “7 rights” of safe medication administration. Students also created a contact list of potential mentors to shadow over the course of the semester. The shadowing experiences the students arrange with their individual mentors will augment their Foundations of Medicine II course objectives.
Foundations of Medicine III
Last week the Med III students reviewed principles of toxicology. We looked at concepts such as toxicity, dose/response curve, LD50, pathways of toxin exposure and the effects of concentration level of a specific toxin over time at a target site. We explored the use of LSD for medicinal purposes and the deleterious effects of crystal meth and other controlled substances on the human body.