high school students Intro to Nursing program wanted!

goodknight · Jul 11, 2005

Arkansas has a program called MASH that is sponsered by UAMS and the Farm Burea. It is a shadowing program for 10-12th graders and introduces them to various healthcare feilds but mostly to nursing. I participate in the program as a HS Junior and that's what made my mind up to become a nurse.

I think there is also a program for younger kids too.

Valerette · Jul 11, 2005

Our CNSA chapter runs a "breakthrough to nursing" program aimed at high school students. We visit local high schools and talk to the students about nursing and match interested students up with a nursing student mentor. The high school students can even spend a day shadowing a nursing student and go to classes with them (but not clinicals). Our program is aimed at increasing minority enrollment in our program, but I think it would also be great to increase the visibility of nursing in general to high school students. It's nice for them to see both male and female nursing students as well.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 11, 2005

My hospital has a nice summer program for 3rd year BSN students to introduce them to nursing. The big oversight, IMO, is we do nothing in this area to introduce nursing to high school students as a possible career. To me, when these kids are looking at colleges, they often select colleges based on possible majors. Equally important to court are the students who are deciding whether to go to a college which offer a nursing program, not just those who are almost finished with their BSN. Two of my own kids have recently taken two different national-based "interest surveys" at middle and high school, and do you know that nursing is not even LISTED as an option for a career? They have all these jobs like "shoe repair" and such, but not nursing. They do have Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Anesthesist, but not RN (or LPN). Well, gee, wonder why no one is going to college to be a nurse? I'd like to see my hospital have some sort of shadowing program for anyone interested in finding out what a nurse does. Please share what your community or hospital does to introduce high school students to the field of nursing.

I agree with you. It is strange that at many places nursing is not listed as a career option. Maybe you could write a letter to someone in your area that can help? Good luck and thank you for your post. :)

nurse_elyse · Jul 12, 2005

You brought up a very good point. I agree that more schools need to introduce the nursing field to the students. Many highschools in Illinois do not teach anything about health occupations. Most of the schools around the one I went to were more on child care and construction. I did however, get the chance to take a CNA class in another highschool that did co-op programs with my school, and the teacher was a retired RN out of the army. Not only did my class get the CNA licensure, but we got credit for some nursing classes through community colleges in the area. Unfortunately, now that I am out of highschool (going on 3 years), they have discontinued the co-op programs with other schools in the area, and that school no longer has the CNA program.

nursejennie76 · Jul 12, 2005

In the newest issue of Nursing 2005 there is a article aobut this very topic. Most high school students that were surveyed about nursing as a career dotn think nurses are involved in patient decision making with physician and well they just dont think nurses are smart people in general. I agree there needs to be more time directed toward informing high school students about nursing careers. I am a ER nurse and have fun everyday at my job!!

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jul 13, 2005

OMG I would LOVE this. I am about to be a highschool senior in Mass and I REALLY think I would love nurseing. There is a "shadow a nurse" program at my local hospital, Childrens in Boston but I guess highschoolers can not participate in it because I have called twice about it leaving messages both times and have not recieved anything in response.

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jul 13, 2005

In the newest issue of Nursing 2005 there is a article aobut this very topic. Most high school students that were surveyed about nursing as a career dotn think nurses are involved in patient decision making with physician and well they just dont think nurses are smart people in general. I agree there needs to be more time directed toward informing high school students about nursing careers. I am a ER nurse and have fun everyday at my job!!

Just to let people know. I totally disagree with these students. As a patient I see that the nurses are HUGE in patient care and decision making. If it wasn't for the nurse observing things and caring about the patient the doctor would not know vital information to help him or her make the right decision.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jul 13, 2005

OMG I would LOVE this. I am about to be a highschool senior in Mass and I REALLY think I would love nurseing. There is a "shadow a nurse" program at my local hospital, Childrens in Boston but I guess highschoolers can not participate in it because I have called twice about it leaving messages both times and have not recieved anything in response.

The only problem I can see with a minor shadowing a nurse is that it can be a dangerous field. A good deal of thought should be given to keeping kids away from some of the higher-risk areas, like the ER, psych, and maybe even ICU. Still, most hospital work-related injuries are back and repetitive-stress injuries, and those would be easily avoided.

Meg--persistence is a huge virtue in college life. You WILL get the run-around on a regular basis. At times, working in a hospital can be almost as bad. One thing I've found is that you can get a lot more done in person than over the phone. You might have more luck with the shadowing if you can arrange to see someone in person.

On the other hand, you sound like someone who already knows her way around a hospital, a bit. If so, you'll get to see a lot of stuff in clinicals. I very much enjoyed my one-day rotation in the OR, not because I had any real intention of working there, but just to see for myself what goes on. I did see a few other jobs, like home health, that I might be interested in doing, someday, but my main interest has been bedside med-surg.

Anyway, it might be that the best thing for you would be to concentrate on your schoolwork, especially sciences and English (lots of writing in nsg school, not so much, but some, in work).

I do think an intro to nsg would be a great idea for high schools. Even if many who took it eventually decided on another field, we'd be educating the public as to what nurses actually do.

Maggie in NC · Jul 13, 2005

I live in a very rural area. The high school system is extremely supportive of early career choices for students. They have a program called HOSA-Health Occupation Students Association that allows students to get their CNA and shadow in the local hospital system in various capacities to get a "feel" for health occupations. I also agree that high school is the place to get future nurses and that programs need to be developed and embraced for high schoolers. Another thing this school system does is partner with the local community college to allow "dual enrollment" which means high schoolers can enroll at the community college and get college credit while in high school FOR FREE. This sets high schoolers up for success and allows them to get some of the pre-reqs out of the way before graduating from high school. The local hospital generally picks scholarship candidates for BSN/ADN scholarships from high school candidates that participate in the programs I have listed above.

I wish more hospitals would set up and support programs/partnerships like the one I have described above. I think we are lucky because we're in an isolated area and we need the workforce to be ready fast if they plan to stay in the local area. Can you imagine what an impact a large city hospital could have in a partnership like the one described above???

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jul 14, 2005

the thing is i am almost not a minor anymore. in september i will be 18. Yes I do know my way around the hospital. I have been the the ER twice or three times and have had four surgeries (soon to be five in aug) When I go to have my pre-op appointment I may stop in and talk to someone in the nursing office and explain myself in person. Do you think that might help/?

The only problem I can see with a minor shadowing a nurse is that it can be a dangerous field. A good deal of thought should be given to keeping kids away from some of the higher-risk areas, like the ER, psych, and maybe even ICU. Still, most hospital work-related injuries are back and repetitive-stress injuries, and those would be easily avoided.
Meg--persistence is a huge virtue in college life. You WILL get the run-around on a regular basis. At times, working in a hospital can be almost as bad. One thing I've found is that you can get a lot more done in person than over the phone. You might have more luck with the shadowing if you can arrange to see someone in person.
On the other hand, you sound like someone who already knows her way around a hospital, a bit. If so, you'll get to see a lot of stuff in clinicals. I very much enjoyed my one-day rotation in the OR, not because I had any real intention of working there, but just to see for myself what goes on. I did see a few other jobs, like home health, that I might be interested in doing, someday, but my main interest has been bedside med-surg.
Anyway, it might be that the best thing for you would be to concentrate on your schoolwork, especially sciences and English (lots of writing in nsg school, not so much, but some, in work).
I do think an intro to nsg would be a great idea for high schools. Even if many who took it eventually decided on another field, we'd be educating the public as to what nurses actually do.

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jul 14, 2005

My school is very into early choice they just dont really emphisize the medical field.which anoys me.

I live in a very rural area. The high school system is extremely supportive of early career choices for students. They have a program called HOSA-Health Occupation Students Association that allows students to get their CNA and shadow in the local hospital system in various capacities to get a "feel" for health occupations. I also agree that high school is the place to get future nurses and that programs need to be developed and embraced for high schoolers. Another thing this school system does is partner with the local community college to allow "dual enrollment" which means high schoolers can enroll at the community college and get college credit while in high school FOR FREE. This sets high schoolers up for success and allows them to get some of the pre-reqs out of the way before graduating from high school. The local hospital generally picks scholarship candidates for BSN/ADN scholarships from high school candidates that participate in the programs I have listed above.
I wish more hospitals would set up and support programs/partnerships like the one I have described above. I think we are lucky because we're in an isolated area and we need the workforce to be ready fast if they plan to stay in the local area. Can you imagine what an impact a large city hospital could have in a partnership like the one described above???