University of Washington Invites High School Students to Nurse Camp

The University of Washington (UW) School of Nursing is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Nurse Camp program for high school students. The week-long camp originally grew out of a need to encourage more first-generation and minority college students to pursue nursing degrees.

Carolyn Chow, co-director of the UW Nurse Camp and director of admissions and student diversity for the School of Nursing, tells Washington.edu, “We had to figure out how to effectively reach applicants earlier with more supportive resources and experiences to learn about nursing as a career option. They love the camp because it’s an opportunity to connect directly with nursing student mentors and professional nurses. And it’s an opportunity for us as a school to have a clear impact on diversifying the next generation of nurses.”

Throughout the week of sessions, students learn a variety of nursing skills including hands-on training in CPR, hand washing, infection control, recording vital signs, and more. Campers also learn from current students in the School of Nursing’s recently opened simulation center, providing a mutually beneficial leadership development program for current UW nursing students.

As part of Nurse Camp, students also attend sessions to learn about financial aid and scholarships to help them prepare for college admissions. To date, about 98 percent of camp alumni have gone to college afterward. The Nurse Camp program is free to campers thanks to private donations.

To learn more about the University of Washington’s Nurse Camp for high school students to learn about nursing as a degree and career option, visit here.