St. Peter’s Hospital College of Nursing is putting a new twist on summer camp. The college, along with the Belanger School of Nursing in Schenectady, hosted a weeklong nurse summer camp in partnership with the Nurses Middle College Charter School in Rensselaer.
As part of the experience, ninth and tenth grade students from across the Capital Region get hands-on experiences in healthcare.
Dr. Susan Birkhead, interim dean at St. Peter’s Hospital College of Nursing, spoke about the camp and the need for more nurses, in a report on WRGB/CBS6 News.
From the story:
“I knew from a young age that I wanted to be in the medical field and this camp helps me figure out what medical profession I want to be in,” said Kensington English, one of the campers.
“The baby boomers are retiring; the nursing workforce is waning I guess you could say, and we certainly need nurses in all kinds of positions,” said Susan Birkhead, Interim Dean at St. Peter’s Hospital College of Nursing.
New York State is expected to need over 30,000 nurses in less than a decade.
The school also hopes to grow diversity within the industry.
“The need for nurses is growing, specifically the need for nurses who look like their patients. we are in dire need of a diverse nursing population. Our mission at the Capital Region Nurses Middle College is to diversify the nursing workforce,” said Santana.
Click here to watch WRGB’s full report.
