Medical Career Safety Scenarios

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Course Name: Exploration of Health Professions and Career Planning

  Career Cluster/Program Name: Health Science

  Course Number: 8400210

  Course/Program Type: Middle School Orientation/Exploratory

  CIP Number: 03179999CE

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson should be used with the Case Study "Sterile Processing Technician" (See CPALMS Resource ID 222010). It is the first lesson for this case study and can be followed by these lessons: “Safety Habits & Standard Precautions” (See CPALMS Resource ID 221134), “Applying Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)” (See CPALMS Resource ID 221136), and “Safety Data Sheets” (See CPALMS Resource ID 221137).

• Career Connection

  
  

  Students will discuss possible hazards in the healthcare field. This will make them more aware of dangers of various careers and lead to critical thinking of how to reduce risks.

  Students will collaborate to research hazards related to a healthcare profession. Students will practice decision making and negotiation skills as they work together to create a scenario for their assigned career.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • identify potential hazards and safety concerns in the medical field.
  • research a medical career to identify hazards/dangers associated with that career.
  • collaborate to write a fictional scenario that introduces the career and associated risks.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • Some careers expose health care workers to potentially dangerous substances and materials.
  • Pathogens/germs can cause illness.
  • Exposure to pathogens is a common risk for health care workers.
  • There are habits/procedures and equipment that can be used to reduce exposure to pathogens and other safety concerns.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What safety concerns exist for health care workers?
  • Do all healthcare professions have the same possible dangers?
  • What dangers/safety concerns apply to many careers in healthcare?
  • What dangers are unique to specific careers?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. Pose the following warm-up question: “What are some potential dangers healthcare workers can be exposed to?”
     • Then, have students discuss their answer with a partner.
     • Call on students to share with the class.
       
       
  2. Provide the case study “Sterile Processing Technician” (See CPALMS Resource ID 222010) to students.
     • Inform students that the case study will provide background for the lesson.
     • Allow time for students to read and annotate the case study. Provide time for students to discuss the case tsudy with a partner or small group.
       
       
  3. Then, discuss these questions, as a class:
     • What are the job duties of a sterile processing technician?
     • What steps does Dionne take to prepare tools for surgery?
     • What potential dangers could Dionne and Jayden be exposed to? (ex. pathogens, scalpels and other sharp tools, chemical cleaners, hot water/steam)
     • What is the problem Jayden faces in the scenario?
     • How is this a potential safety concern?
       
       
  4. Activity: Writing Career/Safety Scenarios
     • Put students into groups of 2-4 students. (Note: Eight careers are listed below.)
     • Pass out the “Career Research and Scenario Directions” to each group. Review the directions with the class.
     • Groups will research an assigned career to learn what the job does, its potential dangers/safety concerns, and strategies/equipment to reduce dangers. (Students will have a ‘notes’ section on the directions paper.)
       • Career list (and likely hazards): surgeon (pathogens, sharp instruments), medical lab tech (studies and tests blood and tissue samples), physical therapist (physical strain), dental hygienist (germs and possible hearing damage from drills), pharmacist (drugs), hospital custodian (germs, cleaning products), paramedic (using AED… shock risk, hearing damage from sirens), anesthesiologist (vapors)
     • Then, each group will write a 5-9 sentence scenario (story) introducing the career and highlighting the safety hazards for that occupation.
       • Students can write their story on paper or use computers to type their stories.
     • NOTE: This lesson can be extended to another day, if students need additional time to write their stories and/or if they present their stories to the class.
       
       
  5. Closure: Follow-Up class discussion (The teacher should pose these questions to the class.)
     • Thinking about the careers you researched, what dangers are common for medical careers?
     • What dangers apply to only a few careers?
     • Why is it important to be aware of hazards and dangers in the workplace?
     • How can healthcare workers, like those in the case study, reduce the risk of exposure to workplace hazards?

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • This lesson can be extended to another day, if students need additional time to write their stories and/or if they present their stories to the class.
    
    
  • The scenario writing activity is designed for students to work in groups of 2-4 students. The teacher should set up groups in advance.
    • Note: Please review guidelines for group work, such as remaining on-task, positive/encouraging team talk, flexibility, equal participation, etc.
      
      
  • The teacher can informally assess learning through group discussion and observation of students during the scenario activity. The teacher can formally assess students through the scenario writing assignment.

• Optional

  
  

  Extension Ideas:

  • Have students include safety habits and/or equipment that would protect the health care worker in their story.
  • Students can present their stories to the class.
  • Students can research a career of interest and potential hazards that relate to it.
  • Some safety warnings are indicated by diagrams and/or pictograms. Review the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard Pictograms (available online) with the class.
  • Students can research dangers and the effects that radiation exposure has on the body.