SPOKANE, Wash. — While many high school students spend their summer break relaxing, 31 teenagers at Providence’s Student Nursing Camp are gaining real-world experience in healthcare.
The week-long camp, now in its second year, brings together students from across the Spokane area to learn essential nursing skills directly from Providence’s medical professionals. The hospital designed the program to give young people a realistic glimpse into healthcare careers before they make major educational decisions.
“Until you have an opportunity to experience it, it’s really hard to know if it’s something you want to do,” said Abby Lust, director of professional development at Providence. “Really our goal with the camp is to give them shadow opportunities, really on unit, being able to see what the day-to-day operational role of being a nurse is.”
The camp’s rapid growth reflects strong interest in healthcare careers. Providence received more than 100 applications this year, double the number from the program’s inaugural year.
Students rotate through multiple stations throughout the week, gaining hands-on experience in medical procedures including IV drips, defibrillators, and sterile glove application.
High school senior Ava Gutman said the practical experience clarified her interests. “I was just with the pediatrics. We were learning how to treat sepsis. We learned how to do IV drips, which was a lot easier than I thought it would be,” Gutman said.
Providence structures the camp to expose students to both adult and pediatric patient care, allowing them to explore different medical specialties.
Ashley Van Der Zee, clinical program manager at Providence, said the camp addresses a gap she experienced as a young person interested in healthcare. “I think it would have been super helpful to see all of the different specialties, seeing the clinical passions that our educators and experts have here in the simulation lab,” Van Der Zee said.
Beyond skill-building, the camp provides valuable networking opportunities with healthcare professionals who can mentor students and answer questions about different career paths in medicine.
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