UNMC College of Nursing in Scottsbluff to hold summer camp

SCOTTSBLUFF – The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing West Nebraska Division is holding a summer camp on July 22-23 in Scottsbluff for high school students interested in nursing careers and nursing students interested in being mentors.

The West Nebraska Division is one of five UNMC nursing divisions sharing a two-year, $665,266 grant to develop mentorship programs for high school students interested in pursuing careers in nursing. The “Nebraska Generation Link to Learn” grant is funded by the U.S. Health Resource Services Administration.

The grant will fund ongoing mentorship, scholarship and clinical immersion activities at the five divisions in Scottsbluff, Norfolk, Lincoln, Kearney and Omaha. It will connect high school students to nursing students and registered nurses with ongoing mentoring, shadowing and other activities throughout the school year.

The first program will be the Scottsbluff summer camp to be held on campus. The program is free to Panhandle high school students and provides a $200 stipend for nursing students who want to be mentors in the camp. High school students are encouraged to invite a supporting adult to participate in the camp. An interpreter will be available if needed for the supporting adult.

Nursing instructors and students from community college and BSN programs will share information about the nursing profession and experiences. Hands on activities will include first aid training, computerized simulation with high-tech human patient simulators, health assessments/vital signs and disaster planning. Participants also will see and learn about the services of Air Link helicopter and Valley Ambulance Services.

The program is free for students meeting eligibility criteria as educationally disadvantaged student, which includes students from rural areas, minority students, first generation college students and those financially disadvantaged.

Wendy Wells, nursing instructor at the UNMC College of Nursing West Nebraska Division, said one of the hopes is to inspire more high school students to be nurses.

“We’re excited to bring this innovative partnership to the Panhandle,” Wells said. “Together with our clinical partners, the other divisions and our students, we will create a wonderful mentoring program that will ultimately benefit citizens in the Panhandle.”

Liane Connelly, Ph.D., assistant dean of the UNMC College of Nursing Northern Division in Norfolk is project director and co-principal investigator of the grant. Jana Pressler, Ph.D. assistant dean of UNMC College of Nursing Lincoln Division, also is a co-principal investigator.

The UNMC College of Nursing Northern Division in Norfolk has held camps for the past three years. More programs specific to sites will be announced.

Registration is required. For application materials and more information in the Panhandle, contact Bobbi Hartshorn at (308) 632-0410, [email protected]. Deadline to receive materials is July 8.