ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • SEPTEMBER 1 - 7, 2016 A14

Healthy KidsHealthy KidsNEWSPAPER IN

EDUCATIONPlanting the Seeds for Success!

PRESENT:

Healthcare Careers

The weekly Healthy Kids page

provides health tips on nutrition,

exercise and more.

P.B. Dip Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. Natural

Peanut Butter,

1 Tbsp. Greek

Yogurt, 1 Tsp.

Honey

Dippers: Pretzels, Apple Slices, etc.

Directions: Mix together the first three ingredients

for a delicious dip!

Where do you work? I

work at St. Louis Children’s

Hospital.

Where did you go to

school? I graduated from

Ritenour Sr. High School.

I earned a liberal arts

degree from Florissant

Valley Community College

and then studied respiratory therapy at Forest Park

Community College and went on to earn an RN

degree from Goldfarb School of Nursing.

What does a registered nurse do? I work in the

operating room (OR) taking care of children that

need surgeries. I comfort the child as they go off

to sleep, pass sterile instruments to the surgeon

and assist him with the surgery, and give the

parents updates while the child is in the operating

room.

Why did you choose this career? I love working

with children and their families. The OR is a

totally different type of nursing that requires a

special skill set.

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

I like knowing that I am making a difference

in the lives of the patients and families that I

touch. I know an unplanned surgery or accident

or trauma impacts the entire family and I like

being able to contribute to their path to wellness.

Seeing a child recover from a significant injury

and knowing that I had a positive impact on their

care is very rewarding.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Rania Allen, Registered Nurse, Peri Operations Services

ShoppingCart!

“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell

csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422

Nutrition Challenge:

Eating nutritious healthy foods

often starts at the grocery store.

Here are some tips to smart

shopping.

4 Eat Before You Go

4Make a List

4Shop the Walls (Natural, healthier

choices are often located along

the walls of the store.)

4Read Labels (Look for

lower fat, sodium and sugar

and higher fiber options!)

4Colorize — Just like

your dinner plate should be

“colorful,” so should your

shopping cart. Fill your basket

with colorful, fresh fruits and

vegetables.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 3, NH 5

How Healthy Is Your Heart?

Your heart is an amazing thing! It is

actually a muscle that pumps blood

throughout your body. A beating heart is

what keeps you alive.

Let’s test your heart health. First make

sure you have been completely inactive

for at least 10 minutes. Locate your pulse*

and count how many beats you feel in 15

seconds. Multiply that by 4 and you have

your resting heart rate. Ideally this number

should be 60-100 beats for anyone over

10 years old.

If your resting heart rate is above that, your

heart is possibly working too hard. Discuss with

your pediatrician or school nurse ways that you

can improve your heart’s health. Following the

Nutrition and Exercise guidelines in the Healthy

Kids page over the next several months can help

improve your heart health too!

Visit: *http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-

failure/watching-rate-monitor for tips on how to

take your pulse.

Learning Standards: HPE 1, NH 1, NH 5

> Do you often feel tired during the day?

> Do you fall asleep at your desk?

In order to be at your best, go to bed early enough

to allow for at least 8 hours of sleep. You’ll feel

more rested and alert and ready to start a new day!

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, NH 1, NH 5

G et

S o m e

S l e ep !