Educating young students about future careers in nursing
Over the next eight years, nursing opportunities will continue to grow at a higher rate than many other professions. Aging and active Baby Boomers, a changing healthcare landscape and an increased focus on preventative care are just some of the reasons nurses are in such high demand.
Mercy Health — Tiffin recently welcomed 15 middle school boys for “Superheroes Wear Scrubs,” a day of hands-on learning about nursing careers. The day began with a background on the history of nursing and a summary of how it has changed over the years. Students met with several male nurses, who explained their education and current roles.
“We toured them around the hospital and had some hands-on opportunities,” said Melinda Miller, clinical educator with Mercy Health. “Life Flight and Mobile Life landed, and the students were very interested.”
While the idea of becoming a flight nurse was appealing to many, other highlights from the day included seeing the morgue, learning about high-tech equipment and of course, lunch.
“The students remained very engaged, asked many pertinent questions and were extremely respectful,” Miller said. “At the end of the day, many of them expressed a true interest in a career in nursing.”
Those sentiments were echoed by participants in their post-event reviews.
“Now I want to be a nurse,” said one participant.
Another added, “It was a very good experience and made me think more about nursing.”
Comments like those aren’t just encouraging for event organizers. They’re encouraging for the future of the profession as well.
Introducing young students to the many opportunities in nursing is more than a fun way to spend a day. It’s an essential part of what we must do as healthcare professionals to help ensure quality care is available for years to come. At Mercy Health, it’s a commitment we’re facing head-on.
Caring for others is what we were meant to do, and we couldn’t do it without our talented team of nursing professionals. From licensed practical nurses to certified nurse practitioners, nurses play a key role in caring for patients in mind, body and spirit. That’s one of the many reasons we’re committed to inspiring the next generation of nurses, helping them explore career possibilities and connecting them with nursing professionals who can help ignite their spark.
To prepare for a career in the nursing or allied health field visit the Mercy College website. Mercy College of Ohio takes great pride in the quality healthcare education it provides to every student. From certificate programs that can be completed in as little as one semester to fully-online programs, Mercy College offers an array of options.
Visit our website to learn more about Mercy Health career opportunities.
