Students explore careers in nursing at Scrubs Camp

Jenkins County High School (JCHS) students, from left, Jalisa Banner and Porshea Cooper, tried out an otoscope in the Nursing Skills Lab at Georgia Southern University. Two other students from JCHS, Shanté Bynes and Samantha Wills, also attended Scrubs Camp. (Photo contributed)

Thirty area students exploring a career in nursing came to Georgia Southern University (GSU) June 5-8 for Scrubs Camp.

Scrubs Camp is a minority recruitment program aimed at involving potential nursing students all the way from seventh grade through their senior year at GSU's School of Nursing.

The Scrubs Camp is just one aspect of the program, which supports academic achievement and helps participants learn more about the health care professions.

Students from Bulloch, Jenkins, Evans, Candler and Screven counties spent the week hearing from nurses on a variety of career topics, trying hands-on nursing activities in the School of Nursing's skills lab, touring Memorial Health Hospital, visiting Willow Pond Assisted Living Center, and preparing their own presentations.

The week concluded with a luncheon, a talk by guest speaker Willene Beaty, RN, and the presentation of certificates to the participants.

The Scrubs program was funded in July 2006 with a three-year grant for $880,000 from the Health Resources and Services Administration. It was developed and proposed by Marian Tabi, Ph.D., associate professor of nursing, who also serves as principal investigator on the grant.

Scrubs Camp staff includes Katoya Bledsoe, Scrubs recruiter; Scott Denlinger, outreach librarian; Misty Dunn, data coordinator; Jackie Edenfield, preceptor coordinator; Bela Kundu, health careers coordinator; Charlisa Osgood, staff assistant; and Mary Kate Pung, director of the Magnolia Coastlands AHEC.