12 Bringing health care news to your home On the path to a bright future It’s 6:30 a.m., and Lizbette Cabanas wakes up to the sound of her alarm. Eager to start the day, she puts on her scrubs, laces up her tennis shoes and begins her morning commute. With thoughts racing through her mind, Cabanas can’t help but smile as she reflects on her journey to becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA). In fall 2022, Lakeview High School worked with Columbus Community Hospital to bring the Health Science Pathway Program to the high school. The educational program is a collaboration between area high schools, Central Community College (CCC) and the hospital, allowing students to learn about careers in the medical field. It includes classes that meet requirements from the state of Nebraska and explore various areas of health care, including phlebotomy, radiology, pharmacy, nursing, respiratory therapy, housekeeping and facilities. Cabanas knew she was interested in health care and decided to enroll in the program for her senior year. “I had always thought of having a career in health care, but I was pretty unmotivated and didn’t know where to start,” she said. Cabanas started the program by taking Health Science I during the fall semester. The class provided an introduction to health care. It included topics such as the history of health care, the five pathways of health care, legal and ethical issues, communication, safety, teamwork and certifications, including Stop the Bleed and Basic Life Support. “Before joining the program, I would question if health care was the field for me,” she said. “After we learned more about the different career paths, I knew it was a field I could see myself looking forward to.” That spring, she took the CNA portion of the pathway program. The dual-credit course helped prepare Cabanas to take the state exam so she could become a certified nursing assistant. The additional course requires students like Cabanas to dedicate extra time outside their regular school schedule to meet the number of hours required by the state of Nebraska. The course also follows all guidelines from CCC’s program regarding required hours, quizzes and skills. Cabanas passed the state CNA exam after she graduated in May 2023, and she started working while continuing her prerequisite requirements for nursing school. “Joining the pathway program helped reignite my motivation and identify the best career path for me,” she said. Cabanas said that now more than ever, she’s motivated to become a nurse. She is thankful to the program instructors, the hospital and Lakeview High School for providing the program. “Taking part in the Health Science Pathway Program was a life-changing experience for me,” she said. “The instructors made the course engaging and allowed us to explore several different care areas that I had not considered previously. It’s a great program, and I would highly encourage others to join if they are interested in pursuing a career in health care.” In the two years since the program’s inception, it has expanded to all three local high schools and required the addition of an extra program instructor. The hospital’s 2022-23 Health Science Pathway annual report projected enrollment of more than 120 students for the Health Science I portion of the program in the current school year. To learn more about Columbus Community Hospital’s Health Science Pathway Program, visit columbushosp.org.
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