For several years, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System and Northeast Technical High School in Watertown have partnered to provide real, hands-on job experiences in the medical field for students. There are eight northeastern South Dakota high schools that attend the Northeast Tech co-op. The Health Science Program is offered to students and consists of three courses:  Health Science Careers, Medical Terminology (Dual Credit), and the Healthcare Internship.

In the Health Science Careers course, students learn basic healthcare skills like, taking vital signs, safe patient care, infection control, BLS/CPR certification, professional behavior, identifying healthcare careers, and employable qualities.  Students receive numerous tours of different areas within Prairie Lakes exploring career options in an ever-expanding healthcare environment. At the end of their semester, students participate in a ten-day career shadow experience at PLHS, where they follow the staff, learn more about various medical procedures, and observe real-life interactions in a hospital setting.

In the Medical Terminology course, students learn basic medical terminology language with the option to take it as a Dual Credit class.  During the second phase of the course, students then will do an extended field experience/mini-internship in a healthcare setting they are most interested in.

The Healthcare Internship class is a semester long, work-based program building on prior skills and experiences. Currently, Prairie Lakes is hosting two interns for the Spring Semester with goals of growing those numbers for next year.

The Health Science Program at Northeast Tech and the Prairie Lakes Healthcare System have a wonderful working partnership.  Shannon Buelow, Health Science Instructor at Northeast Technical High School says, "The Prairie Lakes staff engages student involvement and facilitates amazing learning experiences. We are very grateful for the experiences at PLHS and the staff is amazing to work with.  A student recently commented 'The staff was always willing to teach me about what they are doing. They were really good at getting me involved and made it so easy for me to learn.'  She continued, "They truly do make a difference in the lives of so many students." Buelow also shared what another student had to say about the program; “I have completely changed my mind about my career after shadowing.  I now know exactly what I want to do, and I am so thankful for this experience!”  

One of the students in this program was recently at Prairie Lakes for his Northeast Tech hospital rotation. He was walking through the hallways when he noticed a distressed Spanish speaking individual. This individual was looking for help and he didn't hesitate to be the person she needed. Using his invaluable skill of speaking both English and Spanish, he was able to assist in helping the individual get to where they needed to go. It’s small acts of kindness and genuine care being fostered in the Prairie Lakes environment that not only leaves a huge impact on our patients, but also on the career paths of these students.

Learn more about Northeast Technical High School here. 

Relay for Life will be in the Watertown Mall April 27th from 4 pm - 8 pm.

Plan on attending? Join the PLHS booth and visit with members of the Prairie Lakes Cancer Center team and pick up some goodies! 

Not available to attend, but would like to support our cause? Luminarias are available for purchase at the Prairie Lakes Healthcare System front desk or at the Prairie Lakes Cancer Center. Please return the completed order form, your donation, and luminaria bag to either location by Monday, April 17th. Suggested donation is $10. Proceeds from luminaria sales goes back to the American Cancer Society.

Luminaria Order Form

The Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Grief Support Group will begin a six-week session on Tuesday, April 18th.

Our support group offers an opportunity for those that have lost a loved one to find comfort, support, and hope. We provide a safe environment to learn about the process of grief, meet others who are dealing with losses, and share stories of your loved one. Grieving is always less painful when you know you aren’t alone. 

Informal presentations from 'Understanding Your Grief' by Alan Wolfelt are used to support those grieving and offer hope as we journey forward.

The Spring session will be offered from April 18th through May 23rd. An additional session will be offered in the fall running from October 3rd to November 14th, omitting October 31st due to Halloween. Each group meeting will run from 4:30 - 6:00 pm in the Specialty Clinic Conference Room.

The grief support group meetings are open to the community and are free of charge, but registration is required. Please RSVP here or by calling 605-882-7714.

Register Today

Impact local lives in our community!

The Blood Mobile will be parked outside of the Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. on Monday, April 10th and the Community Blood Bank needs your help. This winter was one of the most difficult in Community Blood Bank’s history. With a loss of nearly 1,500 donations due to cancellations related to weather issues, Spring cannot come soon enough. 

Community Blood Bank is facing multiple challenges moving forward including an aging population, a decrease in the number of young donors, and an increase the overall demand for blood. No matter in which community you are located, blood is required for surgeries, cancer treatments, and many serious, unexpected issues. The demand for blood is continual; our current usage is over 550 units per week. Only through the dedication of our volunteer blood donors are we able to meet the need.   

As a blood donor, you can save a life and help to ensure there is adequate blood supply available for our patients. Local donations will stay local and save local lives - know you could be saving your neighbor, a family member, or even yourself!

Update: All donors will receive a $5 Dairy Queen gift certificate!

Donation times are available from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and again from 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Check-in is in the Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic main lobby.    

To schedule your appointment, click the link below and select an available time. You can also call Community Blood Bank at 605-331-3222.

  Sign Up Here

Guidelines to Donate:

• Blood donors must be at least 16 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form found at www.cbblifeblood.org) weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good general health.
• Donors exhibiting COVID-19, cold or flu symptoms are unable to donate. 
• Valid identification is required at the time of registration. 
• It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluid prior to donating blood. Avoid energy drinks.
• Walk-ins will be accepted, if there is room or a cancellation – staff on event day will manage this process