Forget video games, a group of young people are spending the summer learning about nursing.
It's called Nurse Camp, and it's run by Seattle Children's. Instead of sunscreen and hats, these kids have chosen masks and gloves for their summer break.
Some people know from an early age exactly what they want to do and if your goal is to save kids’ lives, then Seattle Children’s has the summer camp for you.
"Nursing Camp can give you that opportunity to maybe find what you love and what you want to do," says Jessica Havens, an OR nurse at Children's. Her mother was a nurse, and Jessica was one of the first graduates of nursing camp.
Fifteen years later she is helping to save lives at Seattle Children's and is proud to be teaching the next generation. She is one of many nurses instructing kids at a three-day, comprehensive, camp at Children’s where students shadow nurses to learn about the world of pediatric medicine.
For eight hours a day, students are hands-on learning nursing skills and speaking in depth with mentors about the reality of their profession.
Students are soaking up the knowledge, like Pierre Bagel, who is already involved in sports medicine at Issaquah High School.
"I help the athletes after school with any injuries or before they go to practice and that really solidified my decision to come to this camp and that also helped me realize that I would become a nurse," says Bagel.
Requirements for Nursing Camp are basic, though there are many applicants and limited spaces available. Students must be entering their junior or senior year of high school; they must live in the Puget Sound area and must attend all three days of the camp.
At this point, the next camp isn't until next year, but you might want to plan to make sure you get a spot.
