Students who are focusing on health sciences at Kimball High School had a taste of real-world training as they completed a basic life-support class designed for professionals this winter.

Shannen Enos of Tracy, a licensed vocational nurse and owner of Enos CPR Services, recently taught 270 students in Kimball’s Health Sciences Pathway her “Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers” course. She leads the same course for a wide variety of health professionals, she said, covering first aid, CPR, use of a bag mask to help with breathing and use of an automated external defibrillator.

“It was a great opportunity to expose the kids to real life while still in school,” Enos said. “(They are) more confident in their training.

At Kimball High School, entering freshmen select from a few focus areas, called pathways, and take courses related to their chosen theme throughout their four years of high school.

Enos, who volunteered to teach the life-support course, said she wanted students in the Health Sciences Pathway to get a glimpse of what professionals in the health care field go through.

The six hours of the course were spread out over six consecutive weeks, and the students took a written exam and then demonstrated their skills on a CPR dummy to conclude the course. Students could choose to be tested and receive a certification card for a small fee.

On Feb. 9, students in groups of three practiced their basic life support and CPR skills on a dummy. Each took a turn administering chest compressions, giving breaths and using a defibrillator.

“The students saw how each individual job works together,” Enos said.

Among the points Enos taught was that CPR can be performed successfully on adults with compressions alone. She said she hoped everyone would remember that in an emergency.

Enos also has plans to offer the basic life-support class to about 30 Kimball High teachers.