Kearney nursing division hosts junior high students















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Lois Dauel, instructor, UNMC College of Nursing, Kearney Division and nurse practitioner, teaches juniors high school students from Kearney High School and Kearney Catholic High School, about a patient simulator. (Photos by Carol Larson, UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division)


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Junior high school students enrolled in Youth Leadership Kearney, listen to a baby simulator’s heartbeat. (Photos by Carol Larson, UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division)

The UNMC College of Nursing’s Kearney Division hosted 25 students for Youth Leadership Kearney’s Education Day on Jan. 9.

Youth Leadership Kearney is a leadership development and educational experience for junior level high school students from Kearney High School and Kearney Catholic High School. The purpose is to enhance the abilities, awareness and special talents of the city’s most promising young people.

The program offers an orientation session, followed by sessions throughout the school year. The sessions allow the students to explore varying aspects of Kearney, Buffalo County and Nebraska.

Students have a chance to meet not only with their peers, but community leaders.

Topics include:

  • Education;
  • County;
  • State and city government;
  • Commerce;
  • Arts and entertainment;
  • Communication and media; and
  • Volunteerism and trusteeship.

As guests of the College of Nursing, the students focused on some of the division’s newest technologies, including simulation. The students watched a video of nursing students going through a mock emergency patient situations on one of the advanced simulation mannequins. They also got to see the mannequin in action and listed to heart and lungs sounds on a mannequin baby.

“We were pleased to be able to host this group of outstanding students,” said Steve Pitkin, assistant dean of the UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division. “The students were excited to learn, asked many good questions and responded to questions that faculty members asked regarding health issues.”