Inside UNLV’s Nurse Camp for High Schoolers

Even before the pandemic, Nevada had the second-largest nursing deficit in the country, and the pandemic has only worsened nurse burnout and retention. According to a 2022 report, nurses are leaving their jobs at “a dramatically higher rate” — Nevada needs to hire 4,000 nurses just to meet the national average.

Nursing schools are responding: In 2019, the UNLV School of Nursing launched a summer Nurse Camp to help high school students “develop realistic expectations about nursing school and working as a registered nurse” through hands-on activities, simulations, and lectures. Producer Layla Muhammad takes us through the camp as she talks to UNLV alumni and organizer Jennifer Pfannes about the camp, their goals, and how they hope the program can mitigate Nevada’s nursing shortage. Plus, hear from two high school students about their experiences at Nurse Camp.

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