Ayona West poses in front of the heart and lung center at Jewish Hospital. | Photo by Boris Ladwig
Insider Louisville:
"University of Louisville incoming sophomore Ayona West, 18, in the last few weeks has witnessed a gallbladder surgery and medical staff scrambling to save the life of a patient whose heart had stopped.
West, a Louisville native, also has received some hands-on training — taking patients’ temperatures, checking their glucose levels, keeping track of their vital signs — as she works toward becoming a certified nursing assistant, which she hopes is but a step on her journey toward becoming a doctor.
The duPont Manual grad is one of four interns at Jewish Hospital who received some expanded pre-internship training this year through a two-week workshop at Jewish Family & Career Services. That training, funded by a $2,000 KentuckianaWorks grant as part of Mayor Greg Fischer’s SummerWorks program, introduced interns to hospital rules, imparted communication and conflict resolution skills, and helped them with résumé building and interviewing skills.
'It has been a wonderful experience,” West said. “It’s pushed me more into what I love.'"
