High School Summer Nursing Program

Nurses do much more than provide bedside care. They assess patients, administer medications, monitor changes in health, educate families, coordinate with medical teams, and advocate for patients’ needs. Depending on their specialty, nurses may also respond to emergencies, conduct research, or help improve health care practices. At NSLC, you’ll explore these responsibilities through patient-care scenarios that involve clinical skills, communication, and decision-making.

Nursing includes specialties such as pediatrics, emergency care, critical care, oncology, mental health, and labor and delivery. Pediatric nurses care for children, emergency nurses respond to urgent medical needs, and critical care nurses work with patients who require intensive monitoring and treatment. Nurses can also work in schools, community health organizations, research settings, and other environments outside hospitals. NSLC’s Nursing program introduces several areas of patient care, including pediatric and emergency medicine, to help you explore the possibilities.

Both programs explore health care through hands-on activities, but they focus on different professional roles. Nursing emphasizes patient assessment, bedside care, medication administration, and communication between patients and medical teams. Medicine & Health Care places greater emphasis on the physician’s role, including diagnosing conditions, practicing surgical techniques, and developing treatment plans. If you’re deciding between the two, consider which responsibilities you’re most interested in exploring, knowing that nurses and physicians work closely together in real clinical settings.

To become a registered nurse (RN), you generally complete an approved nursing education program, meet your state’s licensing requirements, and pass the NCLEX-RN examination. Common educational pathways include an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Both can lead to RN licensure, although some employers prefer or require a bachelor’s degree for certain positions. If you’re considering nursing in college, researching the differences between these pathways can help you plan your next steps.

Registered nurses (RNs) assess patients, coordinate care, administer treatments, and educate patients and families. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), called licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) in some states, provide nursing care within a scope of practice that varies by state. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice registered nurses with graduate-level education and additional clinical training who may diagnose conditions, order tests, and prescribe treatments according to state law. Understanding these roles can help you see how nursing responsibilities and educational requirements differ.

Nursing requires communication, empathy, attention to detail, teamwork, and the ability to make decisions under pressure. Nurses must listen carefully to patients, explain information clearly, recognize changes in someone’s condition, and coordinate with other health care professionals. At NSLC, you’ll practice these skills during patient-care simulations, including communicating with doctors and fellow nurses, responding to emergencies, and making decisions about patient needs. These experiences can help you explore both the clinical and human sides of nursing.