In the halls of The University of New Mexico College of Nursing Health Sciences Rio Rancho campus (HSRR), a new mentorship program is making strides in shaping the future of healthcare. By pairing Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students with high school students from three Sandoval County high schools interested in nursing careers, this initiative promotes growth, learning, and collaboration for both groups.
The mentorship program was conceived by UNM HSRR Nursing Program Director Karin Ludi, DNP, RN, with the initial goal of breaking down barriers to entering nursing school for high schoolers.
"I’d love this program to spark interest in health care and nursing in high school students and offer them the tools and knowledge they need to know that they are totally capable of accomplishing nursing education," said Ludi. "They will learn how to apply some skills nurses need for patient care and what a day in the life of a nursing student looks like."
By engaging high schoolers' interest in healthcare early on, the program aims to increase their likelihood of applying to nursing school in the future and help address New Mexico’s nursing workforce shortage of over 6,500 nurses.
The pilot program lasted eight weeks, with HSRR nursing students and accepted high school applicants meeting once a week for two hours. Activities included an application and admissions presentation from the College of Nursing admissions staff, hands-on skills building in HSRR’s skills lab with mid-fidelity manikins, a mock trial representing healthcare policy's judicial side, and discussion panels from diverse nursing professionals. Both students and mentees provided overwhelmingly positive feedback.
One high school student, Kalani Chavez from Bernalillo High School said, “the most valuable skill I learned from the program is how to read an EKG. From respiration to heart rate and everything in between, it was all super fun!”
Another student, Lauren McKell from V. Sue Cleveland High School said, “thank you so much! I loved the program and all of it really solidified my interest in becoming a nurse.”
Emmanuelle Obeng, BSN, RN, a UNM College of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice student pursuing Nursing Administrative Leadership and a BSN alumna who assisted Ludi with the program noted its benefits for both high school students and BSN students. She stated: “the program functioned as a ‘teach back’ opportunity for our BSN students. They could deeper understand the skills they have been learning in their program by teaching them to the high school students. It helped cement their confidence in their abilities while also discovering where they themselves can improve.”
This mentorship program allows both BSN and high school students alike to build connections, skills, and interest in nursing—a sector needing a fast-growing workforce to mitigate local, state-wide, and national shortages. The mentorship program is expected to continue into the fall semester.
