WARREN, Ark. (7/6/22) – The 2022 edition of MASH Camp at Bradley County Medical Center was completed recently as the hospital hosted students from Warren, Hermitage, Hampton, and Woodlawn for two weeks full of medical related activities that started on Monday, June 20 and ended on Friday, July 1.
MASH, which stands for Medical Applications of Science for Health, Camps are put on throughout a number of hospitals across Arkansas thanks to UAMS and Arkansas Farm Bureau. This year’s version of MASH was full of two weeks of activities after not having a camp in 2020 and a scaled-back version last year. BCMC’s Labor and Delivery Nurse Manager Krissy Morrison and Emergency Department Nurse Manager Cheryl Wells took the lead for this year’s program.
This year’s batch of students included Cristal Castillo, Braniya Davis, and Cinnamon Davis from Warren High School along with Shakara Miles and Laken Williams from Hampton High School. Rounding out this year’s MASH class was Ma’Kya Ashley from Hermitage High School and Belle Vinson from Woodlawn High School. All seven students received certificates of completion and a number of awards during their graduation ceremony on July 1.
The first day of the event on Monday, June 20 featured a tour of BCMC’s Laboratory, a presentation by EMR Coordinator Lauren Case, an IV/injection lab, and a presentation by Bradley County Coroner Sammi Warren. The next day featured a casting lab with Dr. Bradley Biggers, Stephen Attebery from UAMS, Dr. Brandy Haley from UAM Nursing, and a talk by David Richey of the Donald W. Reynolds YMCA of Warren and Bradley County before lunch. After lunch the students dissected a pig heart with the help of Dr. Michelle Weaver and went over vital sings with SouthArk’s Stephanie Pruitt and her LPN students.
Wednesday, June 22 was mostly spent at a couple of local dentists’ offices with the group going to the Mainline Dental Clinic with Dr. Terri Eubanks along with a visit to Dr. Donnie Bryant’s and Dr. Julie Bryant Branch’s dental practice. Wednesday also featured a presentation about anesthesia from Garrett Gates, CRNA, suturing, and a visit from local politicians Ben Gilmore and Jeff Wardlaw. Thursday morning was spent with the BCMC Outpatient Therapy Department at Brunson, while the students were able to experience the BCMC Pharmacy and Surgery departments later in the day as well as a talk about public relations and IT by BCMC’s Dennen Cuthbertson.
The first week closed with some more experience in the BCMC Laboratory along with some different activities about public health, medical terms, infection control, and safety training. The following Monday the students went to the Warren Animal Clinic, received a presentation from New Outlook Counseling’s Alleyssa Horn on mental health, listened to Bryan Case from Hospice Home Care, and ended the day with activities regarding the BCMC Senior Care Department.
The next day’s activities included intubation/ventilation by BCMC Respiratory, nutrition presentation by Dr. Laura Evans, a presentation by BCMC Peer Recovery Specialist Samantha Ellis, CPR/First Aid by Kasey Reep, and a visit to Smalling Eye Clinic. Wednesday’s lineup of events included visits to the BCMC Lab and Radiology Department and a talk by Buddy Boldon about biomedical engineering. BCMC’s Rick Beckner talked to the group about emergency preparedness, Morrison and Wells spoke about obstetrics, members of the Warren Lions Club made a visit, and Karen Rawls ended the day with a presentation on diabetic education.
The final two days of the camp started with Jimmy Plyler and Greg Rowland of the Arkansas State Police before Tim Vandiver with UAMS IDHI Stroke Program made a virtual presentation. The afternoon featured Keith Maddison from the Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (ARORA), BCMC’s First Station Nurse Manager Lee Taylor, and Dr. Kristen Dent. Friday had another stroke presentation and a visit from Pafford Air One before the event concluded with the graduation and awards ceremony in the BCMC Conference Room.
The BCMC MASH Committee consisted of Morrison, Wells, CNO Jamie Wolfe, Infection Control Manager Barbara Barnes-Saffel, HR Director Brooke Hatch, and Cuthbertson. BCMC’s Vice President of Support Services Marilyn Johnson led a number of teambuilding activities most mornings of the program, while CEO Leslie Huitt attended a number of events including the graduation and awards ceremony.
In addition to thanking the presenters, the BCMC MASH Committee would like to thank the donors to the program, which included the BCMC Auxiliary, State Senator Gilmore, State Representative Wardlaw, C&L Electric, El Palacio, ESCO, Farm Bureau, First State Bank, Frazer’s Funeral Home, Hospice Home Care, Johnny’s Radiator Shop, Dr. Kerry Pennington, Mainline, Mitchell Lumber and Hardware, Pizza Hut, PotlatchDeltic, SATCO, Tri-County Title Company, Union Bank and Trust, Warren Bank and Trust, Warren Lions Club, and Warren Woman’s Club.
The BCMC MASH Committee would also like to thank the providers of our meals which include CURA (BCMC Dietary), Kay Robinson, Pizza Hut, Robertson’s, Molly’s, the Sandwich Shop, El Ranchito, and Rays.
For the latest news and updates regarding BCMC please like the Bradley County Medical Center Facebook page or follow us on Instagram (BCMCWarren) or Twitter (@BCMC Warren). To keep up with the most recent news and updates for the BCMC Rural Health Clinic, please like the BCMC Rural Health Clinic page on Facebook.
Top photo: Photo of MASH Students in Stroke Awareness T-Shirts Attached (From L to R: Wells, Morrison, C. Davis, B. Davis, Williams, Castillo, Miles, Ashley, Vinson, and Wolfe)
All photos courtesy of the Bradley County Medical Center
For more photos from the BCMC’s MASH Camp, please visit the BCMC’s Facebook page.