Several Baptist Memorial hospitals nurture next generation of health care professionals

This summer, Baptist Union City, NEA Baptist, Baptist DeSoto and Baptist Golden Triangle introduced high school students to health care careers through CRASH Course camps.

Forty-four students participated in two Baptist Union City camps and visited newborns, heard from Hospital Wing staff, and learned from a number of other hospital team members.

NEA Baptist’s three-day camp offered students more chances than ever to learn about the various facets of working in health care.

“Nurse Camp at NEA Baptist has been a fantastic opportunity for students in our community and around Northeast Arkansas who are interested in a health care career in nursing,” said Ashley House, MSN, RN, staff development specialist manager. “Our three-day camp offered a full schedule with both fun and educational activities – such as mock code drills where students see the health care team work to save a life in the simulation lab, team building to make new friends from other schools and work with real nurses, CPR training with First Aid certification so they can go into the community as trained individuals in basic life support, job shadowing to see all the different types of nursing, and more.

“Many of our students enjoy the experience so much that they return for as long as they are eligible to attend. The students are compassionate, and we love to see them spark a new interest for the field of nursing. We hope to make a small imprint on the heart of these young students as they learn what career path they will take.”

This summer marked Baptist DeSoto’s fifth CRASH Course nursing camp, where 20 students participated in a number of activities, including touring the hospital and sitting in on a surgery.

“It’s a great opportunity for these interested students to come out and learn more about the different medical fields they could go into,” said RN and Staff Development Specialist Linda Bowen.

“I love seeing the different areas of the hospital that I wasn’t familiar with at first, but now I’m aware of all the options and things that people can do,” said Avery Norwood, a junior at Magnolia Heights School in Senatobia.

Baptist DeSoto CRASH Course camp

Baptist Golden Triangle CRASH Course camp

NEA Baptist Nurse Camp