Intro to the World of
Nursing and Dare To Care are programs at Dartmouth-Hitchcock
Medical Center for high school students interested in
exploring the nursing profession. The profession of nursing
is an attraction for many people who are interested in
health care and who desire the unique relationship that
nurses have with patients. This interest is of particular
importance for young people completing their high school
education as the shortage of practicing nurses continues
given the low enrollments of college students into nursing
programs. It makes sense that we offer encouragement to
students in the process of making their career and education
decisions. DHMC has been a key player
in nursing education since the late 1800's with the
inception of its own diploma nursing program which began in
1896 and ended in 1980 when the trend of nursing education
moved into the college setting. Several area nursing
programs provide their students with clinical experiences at
DHMC. The institution has an opportunity to participate in
another area of nursing education by providing high school
students exposure to the nursing profession. Introduction
to the World of Nursing is
an experience whereby high school students may visit the medical center
and have an opportunity to meet and interact with a variety of nurses
in different nursing roles over a period of 4-5 hours. This experience
would include a tour of the facility and visit to an unoccupied room
on one of the in-patient nursing units. Due to strict federal guidelines,
the tour would not include an area or room where patient care was being
provided. Dare To
Care provides
selected students an interactive patient experience similar
to that of the former Candy Striper Program. Students
participate in patient care at a junior volunteer level.
Examples of such activities include, but are not limited to,
tasks such as reading to patients, writing letters for
patients, filling water pitchers for patients, making beds,
etc. This experience would NOT include direct physical care
such as bathing, hygiene, etc. This experience is being
planned on a quarterly basis initially. This program differs
from its sibling program, "Introduction
to the World of Nursing"
in that it provides patient contact and interaction, and
offers learning opportunities that may further a student's
interest in the nursing profession. It is also an ongoing
experience that involves and application and selection
process. For further information,
please contact Peter Nolette, RN in the Office of
Professional Nursing at DHMC via phone, 650-5630, or by
email: peter.a.nolette@hitchcock.org. To apply, see your
guidance counselor for assistance.In the
Spotlight
