Moving Upstream to Address Health Inequity: A Middle School Program to Introduce Students to a Career in Nursing

To promote health equity and address an increasing need for nurses, educational pathways and mentorship programs for students who want to pursue a nursing career should be considered during the earlier stages of secondary education. Several school nurses in the Brandywine School District in Delaware piloted a program to introduce middle school students to a career in nursing. Recognizing the racial, ethnic, and gender disparity in the nursing workforce, nurses sought out Black/African-American, Hispanic, and male students, populations who are underrepresented in nursing. Nurses informed students about a career in nursing and offered information on pathways to pursue an education in nursing. The program is intended to give a realistic perspective on the duties of nurses and to provide a level of educational and collaborative support from parents and faculty to assist students to transition into postsecondary nursing education programs. The current nursing shortage is a multifaceted issue creating an extreme need for nurses, particularly baccalaureate-prepared nurses who provide culturally competent and safe patient care. The BSD Lifesavers program aims to create programs and policies to promote a more diverse nursing workforce that will provide equitable health care for all communities.