UW Nurse Camp Creating Collegiate Opportunities for Minority and Low-income High School Students

Online, July 14, 2010 (Newswire.com) - SEATTLE - The University of Washington School of Nursing hosts Nurse Camp 2010 July 12-16, 2010. The free day camp is designed for underprivileged and underrepresented high school juniors and sophomores interested in exploring the nursing profession and preparing themselves to pursue a college degree.

Across the nation, experts predict a nursing shortfall in 2018 that will grow to about 260,000 nurses by 2025.[1] Nurse Camp's main goal is to provide a pipeline to college for minority and low-income students in the Puget Sound.

"Nurse Camp opens the door to all areas of nursing and other medical disciplines that nurses are involved with," said volunteer Genevieve Hamilton, a program coordinator in the psychosocial and community health department.

The idea for Nurse Camp came out of the School of Nursing diversity committee's desire to better create community and inclusion for underrepresented communities in healthcare. Out of over 100 applicants, this year's participants include 24 students, 22 of which are minority students including 2 men.

"Nurse Camp gave myself and others confidence in allowing us to shadow, one on one, professional nurses instead of simply volunteering," one participant from last year's camp offered as feedback. ""It was the most productive and fun thing I did all summer. It was truly amazing - my entire college essay was centered on Nurse Camp."

On Wednesday, students will attend a presentation on Community Health Nursing by speaker Julie Ward, a 2009 UW graduate, at the UW Farm (Division of Department of Biology) where students will use all organic ingredients to make pizza in the farm's cob oven while discussing the importance of health and wellness in their lives and future careers.

Other activities include a first day crash courses for hospital staff including first aid, CPR, HIPPA, hand washing, and infection control. The campers spend the rest of the week shadowing a nurses at the University of Washington Medical Center, practicing nurse skills in the learning lab, and discovering different nurse specialties in a nursing "speed date" where campers meet and talk with nurses working in all areas of health care, from forensic and public health to emergency and research. On the final day, attendees discuss applying to college and understanding financial aid as well as a celebratory closing ceremony with family and friends.

[1] Buerhaus, Auerbach, and Staiger, Health Affairs, June 12, 2009

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Members of the media are invited to schedule visits to Nurse Camp 2010 as well as interview coordinators and participants. Please contact Aren Kaser, Director of Communications and Marketing, at [email protected] or (206) 221-2456 to make arrangements.

http://www.son.washington.edu/diversity/dawg/nursecamp/default.asp
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