Davenport University’s W.A. Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus hosted its first-ever Future Nurse Academy, a three-day immersive camp made possible by a $6,000 grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The camp, held May 19-21, was designed to introduce high school students to the dynamic world of nursing through hands-on, real-world experiences inside the university’s simulation and skills labs.

Sixteen students from Kent Intermediate School District’s health-intensive program attended the inaugural camp from the following school districts: East Kentwood, Rockford, Lowell, Forest Hills Eastern, East Grand Rapids, Kent City, Kelloggsville and Caledonia. 

The students came ready to learn and brought with them curiosity, energy and a shared interest in the nursing profession. From the moment they stepped into the lab, students were immersed in interactive learning stations. Donning sterile gloves, the students set up sterile fields and acted as circulating nurses during simulated surgeries. Using training arms, they practiced starting IVs and conducted peripheral blood draws. They also worked with wound care models, removing sutures, applying steri-strips, and learning to apply antibiotic ointment with sterile technique. At the pediatric station, students assessed newborns using Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Response (APGAR) scoring and learned how to properly change diapers.

A Life Ambulance visit capped off a powerful session on critical care, where students observed what an ICU patient might experience.

Throughout the camp, students also explored the importance of rapid response through coding scenarios, CPR and AED demonstrations, as well as a skills relay to bring it all together.

Students also toured Davenport’s Grand Rapids Campus and gained valuable insight into the university’s nursing program and the exceptional support it provides to nursing students. With many high schoolers beginning to make college and career decisions as early as their sophomore or junior year, the camp provided a critical opportunity to connect with the nursing profession and with Davenport’s nursing faculty and its Heart First student-centered approach.

“We wanted not only to introduce the students to the field of nursing but also show them that Davenport is a place where they can thrive,” said Deborah Bosworth, Davenport nursing program director. 

If the enthusiasm of this year’s campers is any indication, the Future Nurse Academy is just getting started. Several students commented that the three-day experience flew by and called it “the best camp ever.” One common piece of feedback was, “I just wish it were longer!”

Bosworth said Davenport’s nursing department has a strong interest in continuing the partnership with Kent ISD and expanding opportunities for students interested in nursing, and that plans for a second camp are in the works. 

The camp’s success was made possible by the dedication of Davenport’s Grand Rapids nursing faculty, led by Karen DeVries and Carrie Monaghan, who designed the daily activities. “Their leadership created a meaningful and unforgettable experience, leaving attendees excited, inspired and deeply thankful for the opportunity,” said Bosworth. “Most importantly, the camp exposed students to the vibrant nursing program at Davenport University, showing that this institution is a place where future nurses are made.”