Top left, Emmaline New, BAHS junior, takes the temperature of Michael Clay, Mount View freshmen. Bottom left, Lucas Johndro, BAHS senior, checks vital signs of SDHS ninth-grader Cameron Murphy. Bottom right, SDHS senior Brianna Fairbrother checks the blood pressure of WCTC instructor Mark Scipione. Brianna will attend Eastern Maine Community College next year for paramedic and EMT training. She hopes to use her CNA certification by working at a local hospital. (Courtesy of WCTC)

CNA students at Waldo County Technical Center had the opportunity to practice their skills on fellow students and staff members at last week’s health fair that took place in WCTC’s CNA program.  

According to the CNA instructor Fran Conlon the objective of the health fair was for students to increase proficiency in taking vital signs and blood pressure reading skills.  The event allowed students to practice these skills on people other than classmates prior to attending clinical rotations, which begin in January at Harbor Hill nursing home and Waldo County General Hospital.  

Sara Jo Richeson, a CNA student and senior at Belfast Area High School stated, “The health fair benefited not only students and staff, but the CNA students as well, because they got to practice their skills”.  

There are currently 14 students enrolled in WCTC’s CNA program. Upon completion of the course, students will leave with  CNA certifications.