Health Ministry Highlights Summer Students

My name is Keenan Van Putten.

I am a mature student attending Hampton University’s School of Nursing. On September 6th, I will be commencing my final year at Hampton U and graduating with a Bachelor’s in Science with a concentration in nursing.

My road to nursing started in 1999 when I was hired in environmental services, also known as housekeeping, at KEMH. After two years of employment, I enrolled into the nursing auxiliary course and worked at MWI. After a brief hiatus from KEMH, I returned in 2004, and acquired employment in the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) for five years before my attendance at Hampton University.

During that time, I completed the certification course necessary to become a qualified Sterile Processing Technician. In addition, in 2009, I graduated from Bermuda College with an associate’s degree in Science.

It was during my employment in SPD where my aspirations for working in the nursing field came about. The SPD department works in coordination with the Surgical Department, through the preparation and sterilization of all instruments and supplies required in the Operating Room.

Since working in the SPD, I have had the privilege of witnessing certain medical procedures and operations. Working alongside the operating room staff has provided me with an insight into healthcare that I never knew existed.

I made the decision to pursue a career in perioperative nursing with a concentration in Orthopedics, by observing different doctors perform numerous medical procedures, and observing the interactions between the nurses, doctors and patients.

I am currently participating in my third consecutive year in the summer student employment program at the KEMH. Through this program, I have been hired as a student nurse and have gained experience throughout various departments within hospital. This has provided me within invaluable hands-on experience that will assist me in my career.

For example, in the clinical setting, a student nurse is required to meet extremely stringent deadlines, assist the nurses in planning care for patients as well as being trusted to use their own initiative to handle critical patient situations.

Through these experiences, I am acquiring strong leadership and interpersonal skills, developing the ability to think fast in emergencies and to act swiftly in assessing various factors in order to make appropriate and critical decisions.

In dealing with and witnessing firsthand, I realize the demand required for a nursing career and look forward to dedicating all my concentration to this pursuit.

Thank you everyone for your time and attention.

My name is Char-Lee Simons and I am a recent graduate from the Masters of Health Services Administration degree program at Strayer University which is located in Virginia.

Since early childhood, I became interested in the healthcare industry and even up until now I view it to be an exciting and dynamic field.

I credit my mother and her example as a compassionate health care provider with influencing my decision to pursue a career in health care and instilling in me the value of contributing to the community by helping others.

As part of my pursuit to become a Healthcare Executive I fully intend to utilize and expand on my current skills, knowledge, and abilities to contribute towards sustaining an innovative and high-performing health system in Bermuda.

Undeniably, the experience of working as a Registrar within the Office of the Chief Medical Officer – will be of great value to my professional development.

Quality assurance of health services is dependent upon a number of complex and ongoing processes required to maintain an accurate practitioner register.

Through my participation in the registration and re-registration processes I have gained first-hand experience into understanding what is required to maintain a Register of licensed health and allied health professionals.

In addition, I have learned about many of the legislative measures that have been put in place to facilitate with upholding the quality of services provided by health professionals. An example of this includes the continuing professional development requirements for the re-registration of health professionals.

I pride myself in knowing that I am able to bring previous experience to this position where I can make a meaningful contribution. Previously I had the opportunity to work for the Department of Health at Nutrition Services as a Nutritionist Assistant. A role that I believe reaffirmed my career aspirations.

Following undergraduate study at Georgia State University, I commenced full-time employment at the Bermuda Health Council as a Project Coordinator. In this capacity I was afforded the opportunity to work in collaboration with a diverse array of health professionals and acquire knowledge pertaining to various aspects of health systems worldwide. This exposure to the administrative side of health care led me to pursue higher education in October of 2009.

Last summer I obtained employment with the Bermuda Hospital Board in the Chief of Staff’s Office at King Edward Memorial Hospital where I assisted in the maintenance of the Bermuda National Tumor Registry. I learned quite a bit in the short-time that I was there and became even more driven to complete my studies.

It is my hope that through this experience I will be able to fine tune my skills through application in the real world.

Thank you.

I would like to start by thanking the Ministry for the opportunity to contribute to this press conference today. My name is Ronnelle James, a 21 year old medical student currently employed for the 3rd year at the Hamilton Child Health Clinic.

I chose to work at the the clinic because of my career ambitions and I continued to apply for summer employment there due to the lessons I learned and the positive relationships I have formed over the years.

My first summer was spent gaining an understanding of the administrative aspect of the Health Clinic which is vital for the effective running of the department. The second summer I was able to shadow the doctors and nurses with their patients.

There I saw how important it was to make both the child and their parents feel comfortable while communicating information, to be respectful of all cultures and beliefs but still ensure that whatever needs to be done in the best interest of the child is and how vital it is to follow protocol especially in serious cases.

Now, in my third summer employed I have been given the opportunity to work with the Medical technologist at the Hamilton Clinic Laboratory. To be able to perform test for various clinical cases, under the supervision of the technologist of course, has been truly incredible.

As a 2010 merit graduate of the Bermuda College with an Associate of Science, I have just completed my first year at the University of Leeds, UK, enrolled in the Bachelors of Biological Sciences degree program with a focus on Medical Biology.

My love of science influenced my decision to apply for this course, which will serve as a foundation for medical school or a postgraduate medicine degree. Science and my love of children steered me in the direction of a career as a pediatric physician.

However, completing my first year with honors, my current employment in the Hamilton Clinic laboratory, and preparing for the second year which will include courses such as toxicology, human diseases and chemotherapy, I have found that I have a strong desire and aptitude for diagnostics and research.

I have begun to investigate the possibility of venturing in career in genetic research or pediatric oncology with hopes of contributing to the treatment and cure of child illnesses and cancer.

Working with the health department has truly been a beneficial opportunity. Being able to be hands on and right in the midst of clinical cases has helped me in both my academics and future career ambitions.

I hope that future health students benefit from the opportunity to work with the department like I have.

Thank you.

My name is Kelee’ Darrell and I currently attend Bermuda College where I am studying communications and public relations with a minor in English.

I intend on furthering my studies at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee and eventually move on to England where I endeavor to certify in journalism. Recently I have been looking at hospitality management, and have full intentions of adding it to my studies.

Being that communications is such a vast field, I haven’t quite figured out EXACTLY what I want to do! As far as public relations goes, I firmly believe that the youth are the future of Bermuda and feel that more events can be put in place to enhance their talents and true personalities.

Once I am further experienced with public relations, I would like to specialize in positive event planning for the youth to keep their minds occupied with positive influences.

I have always been interested in the tourism industry and believe that the Bermudian hospitality is unique. I inspire to get Bermudian waiters back into the hotels so that when tourists come to visit they receive a full dose of the Bermudian hospitality that are ancestors were so proud of.

Once I have helped to change Bermuda for the better I would like to give back to my former high school, Bermuda Institute, where my passion for English began, and become an English teacher.

Helping my students to bring out their creativity as my teachers worked so hard for me to do. I want to invest my time and passion into every child to help them become the people I know that they can be.

For my second summer, I have been working at Environmental Health where I spent most of my time filing and helping them to move over to their new system. It helped to better develop my patience.

I also learned just how important people skills really are and worked on developing them. I truly believe that I was placed in this job for a reason and my lessons learned will follow me through life especially in my career choice.

The purpose of this press conference today is twofold:

First, I want to highlight the Ministry of Health’s initiative to employ summer students to provide them with experience in their area of interest…

…And second, to introduce you to four bright young people who are currently placed in summer programmes within the Ministry of Health.

With all that we hear about the job market right now – both here in Bermuda and abroad – one thing is for certain: experience is key.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health is pleased to support young people who are pursuing a career in health through summer employment opportunities.

Typically, Ministry Departments and Quangos keep in touch with students while they are overseas at school. Consequently, students who have indicated an interest in health-related fields are provided summer employment where possible.

In addition, the Ministry of Health’s Dr. Barbara Ball scholarship recipients are offered summer employment during their vacation periods.

Finally, the Ministry also works with Labour and Training to place both College and High School students in their fields of interest.

To date, 43 students have been employed within Ministry Departments and Quangos for the summer of 2011.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board is the largest summer employer, hiring 37 summer students directly and will usually obtain an additional 15 from Labour and Training.

These students are placed within various disciplines at the K.E.M.H and Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute including: nursing, child and adolescent services, laboratory services, social work and rehabilitation services.

The Department of Health has also hired summer students, Dr Barbara Ball Scholarship recipients and Labour and Training summer employees.

These students were placed according to their fields of interest in the following areas: the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, the Victoria Street Health Clinic, and Environmental Health.

The Ministry’s employment of summer students is an excellent opportunity for students to gain practical experience while encouraging them to pursue a career in the Bermuda healthcare system.

The students with us today represent this wide cross section of summer employment opportunities:
Kelee Darrell has been working with Day Care Centers across the island and has helped the Environmental Health division of the Department of Health in establishing their new filing system after their relocation to the Metro Building this summer;

Char-Lee Simons is a former Dr. Barbara Ball Scholar who is now working with our Chief Medical Officer to utilize her Masters of Health Services Administration.

Ronnelle James is working in the Hamilton Health Centre; and

Keenan Van Putten is a previous full time BHB employee who is currently studying nursing. He is a GlaxoSmithKline & BHB Scholarship recipient who is working on Cooper Ward for the summer.

I will now invite them up to the podium to talk about their summer employment experiences.

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