The Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing recently celebrated a successful summer camp aimed at inspiring the next generation of nursing professionals. After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the highly anticipated camp resumed last summer in its newly accredited Simulation Center, the first center to receive such recognition.
Over two sessions, a total of 62 high school students participated, with attendees hailing from as far as Taiwan, Washington State, and Northern California. The goal of the camp was to provide an engaging introduction to the nursing profession, promoting it to young individuals interested in pursuing a healthcare career.
Jocelyn Ludlow, an associate clinical professor at the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, who alongside camp director Leanne Burke served as a camp coordinator and Simulation Center lead, welcomed students on the first day. The week began with interactive activities designed to assess the campers’ knowledge of nursing and foster dialogue about the profession. “A lot of these kids haven’t had any nursing classes, so on our first day we do an activity to gauge what they know about nursing,” she explained. “We have a group discussion and then throughout the week they learn hands on skills, but they are also exposed to all the different roles of nurses in today’s healthcare setting.”
Volunteers, including current students, alumni, UCI Medical Center nurses and UC Irvine faculty, demonstrated everything from CPR and how to perform injections to best practices for preventing infections, giving each student an opportunity to directly practice each skill in addition to earning their CPR certifications at the end of the week. A meet-and-greet speed mentoring session also featured a variety of expert nurses. “Students were able to sit and have a one-on-one with each nurse, and learn more about their jobs, their training and preparation and what they like most about nursing,” Ludlow said. “This is an example of one of the many activities the students participated in that exposed them to nursing.”
Students have an opportunity to ask questions after each demonstration. One of the highlights of the camp was the “Stop the Bleed” simulation, where students learned critical emergency response techniques, including how to apply a tourniquet. The campers also took part in a disaster simulation, where they had to create earthquake survival kits and practice how to triage patients represented by mannekins after a hypothetical earthquake.
“They had to decide who gets care first, with patients including an infant with a head injury, a blunt force trauma victim, leg fracture patients including an older adult with a broken hip, and even a stressed-out kid,” Ludlow explained. “Part of the challenge was how to identify what is internal vs external. The students decide what interventions are needed, then rank the patients and talk about their decisions.”
Throughout the week, participants also toured the campus and enjoyed meals at the cafeteria, immersing themselves in the college experience. Each camper received a certificate of completion, recognizing their participation and newly acquired skills. The camp aims to engage students at an early age, cultivating interest in nursing. In 2024, the nursing school coordinated outreach efforts to local schools and communities, spreading the word about the benefits of a nursing career.
“The camp week was designed to ensure that each day the students learned skills that built upon each other and were applicable to their everyday life,” said Burke. “These are designed to not only expose the campers to the scope of nursing practice, but also give them practical skills that they can use at home even if they choose another career path. We wanted them to learn while having fun, so we came up with competitive activities, like the healthcare skills relay race, which was a big hit.”
As the camp came to an end, campers expressed enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity. They departed not just with newfound skills, but also with a clearer vision of their potential future in the nursing profession. “We want to ensure that students understand the intensity of a nursing career, which goes beyond what you often see on television,” Ludlow said. “Nursing is a rewarding and multifaceted profession with numerous paths.”
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