by | Katie Farina
S
miling, senior Kody Hensley looked down at the 3-yearold boy hugging his waist. After a week of working with young children at Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church through the school’s Nursing Fundamentals program, Hensley dreaded leaving. The experience opened his eyes to his love for children and his calling — podiatry. Hensley joined West’s nursing program out of his desire to serve others and has since provided quality health care at Hendersonville Health and Rehab and the Life Care Center. Despite his enthusiasm, there have been challenges. “It was scary at first because I had to be by myself, and I had little training. After the first two weeks it got a lot easier, and I knew what to expect,” Hensley said. “Interacting with patients can be hard, though. Some individuals have disabilities, and there are contact isolation problems with the patients.” Gender barriers have also posed as obstacles. With 91 per-
cent of all nurses being women, according to Census.gov, nursing is a female-dominated profession. Hensley has faced discrimination. “I think it’s great for men to be nurses, but some women are uncomfortable to have male nurses present in the room with them,” Hensley said. “Some husbands even find it offensive. A few of the residents that I worked with didn’t want me to be around them when they were changing.” Nevertheless, Hensley is determined to overcome these obstacles, placing an emphasis on the advantages of the job rather than the disadvantages. “Nurses are responsible for somebody’s life, and there is not a responsibility that is bigger than that,” Hensley said. “In most cases, a nurse is the first contact a patient has in his recovery.” Hensley plans to pursue nursing at Blue Ridge Community College and then attend the University of South Carolina. “Nursing opens many doors and many new possibilities,” Hensley said. “It guides you into careers that are not just nursing.”
10 | senior features | wingspan | june 2014
by | Isabella Perron
D
arkness fell upon the undercover deputy’s car as the suspect walked down the steps of the targeted house, a wad of cash in hand. Senior Spencer McMinn watched from the passenger seat of a car, eager to finally eradicate the illegal activity from this Henderson County home. McMinn completed his graduation project in the fall by shadowing at the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department. His goal for the future is to work as an emergency services director for a law enforcement department. As an emergency services director, McMinn would be responsible for managing and operating the emergency operations centers and supervising fire and ambulance functions. He would have to organize evacuation procedures in the case of natural disasters, working directly with community members and officials. “I will have to design emergency preparedness plans and conduct emergency preparedness training for all emergency service
workers,” McMinn said. “I have always wanted to work in this field so I can help others. Whether it is healing, fighting a fire or arresting someone, I’ll be helping the community.” In order to qualify for the position, an individual must have a great deal of experience with fire termination and medical care. Both a high school diploma and emergency medical technician courses are required. McMinn was recently offered a job as a Hendersonville Police Department dispatcher. He plans to begin work after graduation and will continue his education as well. The West student attributes his success to his graduation project, which focused on law enforcement communication. McMinn reports that his current position allows him to contribute to the community in a positive way. “I get to help people everyday,” McMinn said. “Seeing kids and elders so appreciative while I volunteer at the fire department or just work from day-to-day really pushed me to stay in this field.”