Mentorship - 2006
2006
The Mississippi High School Nurse Academy Funded by the Bower Foundation
The Mississippi Office of Nursing Workforce (ONW) and the Bower Foundation (www.bowerfoundation.org) are in collaboration on a project aimed at exposing high school seniors to nursing and allied health careers, especially nursing. The project, called the High School Nurse Mentorship Academy will target graduating seniors who have a desire to become healthcare professionals.
The intent of the Bower Foundation grant is to provide ‘seed money” for two (2) High School Nurse Mentorship Academy Partnerships. In the first year of the grant, ONW/Bower Foundation will pay for all expenses, except for $1,000. In the second year, the expenses will be divided 50/50 between ONW/Bower Foundation and the Partnership. In the third year, ONW/Bower Foundation will pay for only $1,000 in expenses and the Partnership will pay the remaining expenses. The first Partnership was awarded to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, MS (www.nmhs.net)
Students participating in the Academy have an opportunity to see what it is like to work in a hospital/healthcare environment. They receive mentoring, life skills training and a basic knowledge of medical terminology and nursing skills. The Academy meets two days a week after school for approximately eight (8) weeks. One day is mentoring, life skills training and guest speakers. The second day is reserved for job shadowing and work experiences in various units of a partnering hospital. Registered nurses (RNs) are the instructors for this program that also includes CPR training. There are two eight (8) week sessions from January through May 2007. Each of the eight week sessions can serve a maximum of ten (10) students. The month of June is reserved for a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) program for those students who successfully complete the eight-week Academy. It is anticipated that all twenty (20) students will enter the eighty (80) clinical hour CNA program, and the overall goal is that at least sixteen (16) students will successfully become certified as a result of having completed the Academy and CNA program.
The Academy is a great opportunity for High School seniors who wish to further their education and become healthcare professionals. The High School Nurse Mentorship Academy introduces high school students to many aspects of the healthcare field allowing them to recognize the benefits that come with being a healthcare professional. The goals of the academy are to better prepare the students to enter college or the workforce and to strengthen their commitment to stay in the communities in which they live.
ONW/Bower Foundation will cover the following expenses:
- Uniforms
- RN instructors’ salary
- Medical kits for the CNA course
- Drug testing
- Immunizations
- Background checks
- Tuition for the CNA course
- CNA exam fee
North Mississippi Medical Center
Nurse Mentorship Academy
A project of the Mississippi Office of Nursing Workforce
Funded by the Bower Foundation of Mississippi
The North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC) Nurse Mentorship Academy (Academy) officially began its first class of students March 21, 2006. The Academy began with 19 students and ended with 18 successfully completing the 8 weeks. One student was accepted to the Army and did not complete the program.
The Academy met Tuesdays and Thursdays for 8 weeks. The days included classroom time for learning medical terminology, basic skills, hospital procedures and policies, and time on the floors for job shadowing. The Academy allowed the students to be employed with NMMC for the month of June as they participated in the Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) training, therefore their training also included an orientation process as part of NMMC’s standard hiring procedure.
The 18 students began a CNA course taught by instructors at NMMC during the month of June. All 18 successfully completed the course. A pinning ceremony was held at NMMC July 10 th, to honor the students for their diligent work during the Academy and the CNA course.
The students have completed CNA examinations. Eleven (11) students sat for the CNA examination, and 10 passed. Seven others (for various reasons) elected not to become certified. A positive outcome of the Academy is that NMMC nursing staff wants students to come to work on a PRN basis now that testing has been completed. As of December 2006, three of the students are employed by NMMC as nurse assistants and are very successful.
Recruitment for the next class of students is slated to begin December 2006. NMMC will select 20 students for two classes of ten to follow the same schedule as the previous year.
