HICKORY, N.C. – What do I want to be when I grow up? If you have teenagers, or were once a teenager, you know that this question can be daunting. This year, Hickory High School will begin helping students narrow this decision path by offering a new Health Care Program.

The program consists of four classes that, upon completion, will offer students the chance to take the state CNA1 certification exam, prior to graduating from high school. Terri Day, RN, MSN, who previously taught at Lenoir-Rhyne College, Catawba Valley Community College and Western Piedmont Community College, is the instructor for this new program. “Often college students come into the first year of nursing school with a different expectation of what a nursing career entails. This class will offer students the chance to determine if healthcare is a field that interests them before they enter college,” says Day. 

Frye Regional Medical Center donated a variety of patient care items to be used to train the future healthcare professionals including patient beds, a stretcher, teaching stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, scales, teaching materials, and more.  “We are thrilled that Frye was able to support this new initiative. We feel this offers our students a great learning opportunity. The materials that Frye donated will make the hands-on portion of these courses practical for the students,” said Dr. Kim Mattox, principal for Hickory High School.

Frye Regional Medical Center is a 355-bed acute care facility located at 420 North Center Street in Hickory, NC.  The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of Catawba County since 1911.  The hospital’s main campus includes a comprehensive heart center and cardiopulmonary rehab, skilled nursing unit, orthopedics, bariatric surgery, inpatient rehabilitation unit, outpatient rehabilitation services, pediatrics, center for neurosciences, cancer center and women’s pavilion.  Frye has several extended campuses to serve families throughout the area including: Frye Wellness and Education Center which houses the Center For Diabetes Self-Management Care, perinatal education and community wellness classes; South Campus for psychiatric services; Viewmont and Tate Surgery Centers; Vein and Wound Center/Infusion Care; Pain Center; Piedmont Therapy, offering sports and industrial rehabilitation; an urgent care facility; FryeCare, an outpatient diagnostic facility; Alexander Campus, which provides 24 hour emergency care along with diagnostic and laboratory services and infusion care; plus HealthPoint, which provides extensive industrial services and programs to employers.

Frye Regional Medical Center is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.  To learn more about the hospital, visit www.fryemedctr.com.