Parent feedback was mostly positive. One parent expressed frustration a few weeks before the camp began by the online registration process. She was anxious to have her child registered early before the online registration process, that was being piloted, was worked out. She needed to contact the camp organizers several times before she was able to register online successfully.  This beginning drawback was resolved and this parent, along with all the others, voiced very positive feedback regarding the organization, quality of activities, and attention that was given to their children. Several of the campers plan to attend the second annual nursing summer camp. One of the campers pleaded with the organizers to design a camp for kids 12-16 so that she could attend again the following year, as she would be too old to meet the camp age requirement.

Conclusions

The camp was able to accomplish the first 4 curricular goals through camp activities and sessions. To outline educational prerequisites for entry into nursing school a printed handout was give to each child and their parents. The handout provided an overview of nursing as a career, types of nursing degrees, prerequisites for nursing schools, tuition, financial aid and available scholarships, and nursing licensing to practice procedures. Recommended website addresses are also provided in Table 2 for more information.

Only time will tell if the camp helped to resolve the nursing shortage. Planners hope all the campers will join nursing in the next nine to thirteen years so they can share in the joys and challenges of the nursing profession. Based on the camper and parent positive feedback, camp organizers and counselors believed they made a difference.  Like most nursing interventions, time will tell. 

References

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2008). Opportunity Alert. Retrieved September 15, 2008, from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/Opps.htm

Buerhaus, P. I., Staiger, D. O., & Auerbach, D. I. (2009). The Future of the Nursing Workforce in the United States: Data, Trends and Implications. Boston: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Daumer, R. D., & Britson, V. (2004). Wired for Success: Stimulating Excitement in Nurisng Through aa Summer Camp. Journal of Nursing Education , 43 (3), 130-133.

Dohm, A., & Shniper, L. (2007). Occupational employment projections to 2016. Monthly Labor Review , 130 (11), 86-125.

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Nurse Camp. Retrieved September 15, 2008, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/nursecamp-sct/students.html

Yeager, S. T., & Cheever, K. H. (2007). A Residential Nursing Camp Program: Effects on Adolescent Attitudes Toward Nursing Careers. Journal of Nursing Education , 46 (10), 452-459.

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