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Guidelines for
VA Career Experience
2013-14 School Year
Coatesville VA Medical Center
1400 Blackhorse Hill Road
Coatesville, PA 19320
Octorara Area Junior-Senior High School
226 Highland Road
Atglen, PA 19310-0501
Mr. Earl Johnson
VA Community & Congressional Affairs
Voluntary Service
610-384-7711 Ext. 4228 (voicemail available)
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Dr. David Rutledge
Octorara Area Junior-Senior High School
School-to-Career Coordinator
610-593-8254 Ext. 6533
FAX 610-593-8256
Email:
Description:
VA Career Experience is a 3 credit, full-year elective course offered to Octorara Area Junior-Senior High School students in grades 10, 11, and 12 in conjunction with the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Coatesville, PA. The VA Medical Center is a 600-bed facility addressing the medical needs of our nation's veterans. Students will have the opportunity to participate in one rotation each marking period. Rotations may include the areas of patient admissions, nutrition and food service, extended care, laboratory medicine, nursing, occupational and physical therapy, pharmacy, recreation therapy, outpatient clinics, research, social work, information technology, administrative, retail sales, facilities engineering, and others. By special arrangement, students may "concentrate" in one rotation for an extended period of time. Students will be responsible for a journal and other assignments as required. Student grades, discipline, and school attendance will be used to determine if students are eligible.
Course Objectives:
1. To provide students the opportunity shadow and observe a variety of professionals in several career areas in a large medical center.
2. To give students the opportunity to gain confidence through volunteering and being exposed to patients and staff.
3. To enable students to explore career options.
4. To learn and use safe work practices.
5. To assist students in preparing for a career after high school.
Eligibility:
1. The student must be passing all courses required for graduation to be enrolled in the VA Career Experience course.
2. The student must have completed and on file an Application for Voluntary Service form from the VA.
3. The student must maintain a 95% attendance at the high school and have an acceptable discipline record.
4. Senior students must have completed all portfolio requirements by beginning of the 2nd semester of the senior year.
Placement in VA Career Experience:
1. The student must meet with his/her school counselor to discuss credit requirements to determine eligibility and have VA Career Experience placed on the student's schedule request form.
2. Students must have a completed Application for Voluntary Service on file at the VA.
3. The high school principal and course instructor will review the student's report card, attendance record, and discipline records to make sure they meet the prerequisites for the course. Students will be notified of acceptance into the program over the summer.
4. Students will meet with a representative from the VA Medical Center and the course instructor to discuss placement and career interest.
Student Responsibilities:
1. Transportation to the VA will leave from the front of high school at 8:00 AM (immediately after homeroom) on Day 1 and 9:00 AM on Days 2, 3, and 4. Students must sign out in the Counseling office before boarding the van. Students who miss the van will be placed in the “in-school suspension” room for the morning. Students must report directly to their VA assignment upon arrival at the VA and stay in that assignment for the entire time unless given permission to leave by Mr. Johnson or Dr. Rutledge. Students who do not report to their correct assignment at the VA, risk being dismissed from the program!
2. Senior students are not permitted to have "senior privilege".
3. Students will complete a record book on a daily basis. It must be turned in once a week (usually on Mondays) to the course instructor to be graded and will be returned the next day. Record books more than one week late will be given a zero.
4. Students must follow all rules, regulations, safety procedures, and directions at the VA Medical Center and cooperate with supervisors and employees. Students must wear the VA identification badge at all times while at the medical center. Students, who do not have their badge with them, will not be permitted to go to the VA for that day. If a badge is lost or stolen, it must be reported immediately to the course instructor and VA contact person.
5. Students must complete an End of the Marking Period Writing Assignment and a final writing project at the end of the school year.
6. Students must inform the course instructor and/or hospital personnel immediately of any problems or concerns that may develop during the school year.
7. The wearing of smocks, appropriate shoes, and other clothing is important at all times for the safety of students and patients. Students will be issued two smocks to be worn in “clinical areas” at the VA as needed. The VA coordinator will inform students where smocks or other attire must be worn. Lab coats will be provided by the VA for students who need them. The smocks are the property of the Octorara Area School District. Students will verify receipt of the smocks and be given a policy statement concerning care and return of them.
8. All high school rules and regulations are in place while students are at the VA. The use of cell phones is strictly prohibited in patient areas and throughout the hospital! Students who are reported or observed using a cell phone for texting or talking or violating other high school rules will receive disciplinary action!
Course Instructor Responsibilities:
1. Visit the VA Medical Center on a periodic basis for supervision.
2. Grade all record books and writing assignments in a timely manner.
3. Work with students who may be having difficulty.
4. Distribute and collect evaluations from supervisors on a periodic basis.
The VA Medical Center Responsibilities:
1. Provide a safe working environment for the student in accordance with all rules and regulations of the Federal government and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
2. Provide innovative and creative ways for the student to use his/her talents and skills as much as possible.
3. Provide learning experiences and training when applicable and appropriate.
4. Complete an evaluation of each student twice each marking period and returning those evaluations to the course instructor.
5. Notify the course instructor immediately of any problems or concerns about a student.
6. Provide transportation both to and from the VA Medical Center for Octorara students. On Day 1, the district will provide transportation to the VA in the morning.
Grading Criteria:
1. Two criteria will be used to determine grades for VA Career Experience. They include a Record Book and Supervisor Evaluation (75%) and End of the Marking Period Writing Activity (25%).
2. Using a rubric, the Record Book will be graded on a weekly basis. The criteria for grading include completeness, accuracy, and legibility and will comprise 75% of each marking period grade. Record books which are more than one week late, will receive a 0% for that week.
3. At the end of the marking period, each student in the VA Career Experience course will be required to review his/her department at the VA and do research about a particular career in the department. Students will use the US Department of Labor website (O*Net Online) and other sources to do the research. All work will be done “in class” at Octorara and a detailed rubric will be used to assist students in writing the paper. This assignment will comprise 25% of the grade for the marking period.
4. Each student will be assigned a supervisor at the VA for each rotation. The supervisor will be asked to complete an evaluation of the student periodically. The supervisor evaluations will rate whether the student is cooperative, practicing safety on the job, actively participating, following directions, and other items. Supervisors will also be asked to identify the skills each student will be learning while in the rotation.
Transportation
All students must ride the transportation provided both to and from the VA. The van will pick up students on Day 1 in front of the high school at 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM on Days 2, 3, and 4. Students will be picked up at designated points at the VA at around 10:30 AM for the return ride to Octorara. The return time at Octorara will be before 11:00 AM. If the van returning the students to Octorara is late, students are responsible for getting a pass to their class from the main office or Dr. Rutledge.
Probation Status
Students enrolled in VA Career Experience and have failing grades, excessive number of absences or late arrivals to school, or have discipline problems, will be placed on "probation" for one marking period. If improvement is not made by the end of the following marking period, the student may be dropped from the course (with a final grade of "F") and given whatever courses are available at the time. Students who are dropped from the course risk not getting enough credits for graduation.
Additional Opportunities for Volunteering
Students wishing to volunteer additional hours at the VA are welcome to do so. Please contact Mr. Johnson to explore those opportunities. Students may be able to complete community service, shadowing or their graduation project at the VA as well. Speak to Dr. Rutledge about those opportunities. At the end of the school year, students will be recognized for the number of hours they have volunteered at the VA.