Nursing Pipeline Program for High School Students in Career Technical Education: A Feasibility Pilot Study

Enrollment challenges in pre-licensure nursing programs represent a new threat to the ongoing shortage of registered nurses in the United States. One way to avert declining enrollments is through proactive engagement with students in kindergarten through 12th-grade education to promote nursing as a viable career choice.

Our pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a nursing pipeline summer program targeting high school students in career technical education (CTE), a federally funded program focused on preparing high school students for a variety of careers through structured curriculum planning and experiences.

This pilot feasibility study involved 11th- and 12th-grade high school students. We administered electronic surveys to collect data on program acceptability from students.

Over the 12 months from August 2023 to August 2024, we recruited 31 high school students into the blended-learning summer pipeline program. Twenty-seven students completed all program components and obtained 5 industry-recognized certifications. Those who responded to the program evaluation surveys (n = 16) rated their program experience favorably. For example, 93.8% reported that they truly enjoyed attending the course, and 87.5% would recommend this course to other students.

We contribute to the nursing pipeline programs' research by highlighting the role of CTE as a potentially valuable, yet underutilized partner in creating a sustainable conduit of youth into nursing. To expand the pipeline of students into nursing, nursing programs should consider partnerships with high schools offering CTE.