TriDistrict Healthcare Students Receive Public Health Achievement Award

The Dakota County Public Health Department recognized a group of TriDistrict Healthcare Careers students for their effort to increase the number of students with lifesaving skills. The healthcare careers students conducted a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project focused on improving a health or healthcare related problem in their area. Some of the topics researched by the students included access to mental health care, cost of nursing school, and response time of first responders.

One group of students decided that it was important to increase the number of students who could provide lifesaving assistance. The group researched the type of training available and decided to arrange to have all the students in the TriDistrict Healthcare Careers class trained in CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and administration of Narcan in case of opioid overdose. The training was such a success that the training will be part of the program’s curriculum in the future. A hope is to have this pilot program expanded so that the number of students with these skills continues to increase.

The students received a Public Health Achievement Honorable Mention Award, including SSP High School student Lawson. The awards recognize contributions of Dakota County residents who devote their time, energy, and talents in their communities to improve health and are determined by the county board of commissioners.