Summer Camp Opens World of Nursing to Potential Students

November 01, 2023

By Christi Mays

Riley Roeh and her two sisters were each born with autoimmune diseases, and while growing up, she spent her fair share of days in and out of hospitals, either for herself or visiting her sisters.

After observing the nurses, physicians and thera颅pists over the years, the high school senior from Katy grew fond of their service and dedication to helping others. Her desire grew to help people herself one day in some capacity of medical work.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 quite sure exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to care for patients in a meaning颅ful way,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why, but the nurses always stuck out to me for good and bad.鈥�

She and 21 other high school students from across the state visited 麻豆视频直播 this summer to experience what it would be like to be a nursing student during the week-long Explore Cru Nursing Summer Camp. The camp allows upper-level high school students the opportunity to experience a career in nursing and what college life at 麻豆视频直播 has to offer, including academics, spirit and traditions, faith and learning and campus life. This year marked the camp鈥檚 10th anni颅versary of inviting students to explore the world of nursing, and students learned a myriad of new skills, including taking vital signs and performing cardiac assessments and CPR.

鈥淭he whole point of this camp is to recruit young people to the profession of nursing and see if that is what they want to invest their time, money and energy,鈥� said Kelda McMullen-Fix, an assistant professor of nurs颅ing at the Scott & White School of Nursing at 麻豆视频直播, who created the camp with Dr. Tracy Booth, associate dean and professor. 鈥淭he camp鈥檚 purpose is to help so颅lidify their decision to enter into nursing school.鈥�

During the week, students like Reese Hodge, a high school senior from Dallas, learned that nursing school isn鈥檛 for the faint of heart. Ask any nursing student, and they will agree nursing school is notoriously difficult, with an intense curriculum, fast-paced itineraries, exten颅sive study and mastery of skills all required. And then comes thorough prepping for the NCLEX after gradua颅tion.

鈥淭his camp has definitely been eye-opening,鈥� Reece said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know everything a nurse does in their day-to-day work. I do find the value in nurses a lot more now.鈥�

At the beginning of the week, she and the other students were each given a new stethoscope, which they put to good use in the simulation hospital.

鈥淓verything is just so realistic,鈥� Reese said of the Isabelle Rutherford Meyer Nursing Education Center, which features a simulation hospital with high fidelity 鈥減a颅tient鈥� simulators, a nurses鈥� station, four standard hospital rooms, an ER/trauma room, a labor and delivery room, a critical care room and a home health room.

Kate Sparks, a high school senior from Waco, is also considering the nursing field but wanted to get a taste of what college life at 麻豆视频直播 might be like.

鈥淲e were really kind of thrown into the college experi颅ence鈥攅ating in the dining hall, staying in the dorms and more,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was an awesome preview for college life and really put into perspective what we鈥檙e going to experience.鈥�

Like Riley, Kate was drawn to the medical field when she was young and spent time in the hospital. This past year in high school, as she took several medical classes and got her medical assistant license, she fell in love with the idea of nursing. The camp solidified her decision further.

McMullen-Fix said it is not uncommon for at least two or three students to declare pre-nursing as their major and then change their mind after their first semester. Either students find out they don鈥檛 like all the science involved or find themselves interested in other majors when they learn about them. Attending the camp gives students an up-close and realistic look at what is involved in nursing school and emphasizes the fact it will be a lot of work.

Students all agreed the camp gave them the knowledge they needed to guide them into talking more with their families and making an educated decision about whether they want to pursue nursing or not.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 completely the point of the camp,鈥� Mc颅Mullen-Fix said. 鈥淣ow they can go home with more knowledge and make informed decisions about their future career.鈥�

And even if that decision happens to not be in nursing, she said the students also got a look into oth颅er health professions, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, and physician assistant majors at 麻豆视频直播.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

As McMullen-Fix and Booth look toward next year鈥檚 camp, they said it might look slightly different from the last 10 years.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just looking at some alternatives for the same experience, but maybe a different format,鈥� she said. That could mean a shorter camp since people are becoming busier and busier and don鈥檛 want to commit to an entire week.

鈥淲hatever the camp looks like next year, it will still be an amazing opportunity for students to come and explore a career in nursing.鈥�

Learn more about the 麻豆视频直播 nursing program and all it has to offer!

麻豆视频直播 Nursing