Nursing Career Opportunity Orientation For High School Students
(Press Release 02-06-09)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

If you, or someone you know, happens to be in high school and even remotely thinks they would like to be a nurse, then the SHINE program is something you will want to investigate.

SHINE (Student Help Initiative for Nurse Exploration) was developed for high school students currently in the 8-11th grades who have an interest in becoming a nurse, according to Eastern Oklahoma State College SHINE Program Director Ann Hester.

"The program is open to students from all area high schools," she said, "and, is to be offered on both the Eastern campus in Wilburton and the Idabel campus at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, McCurtain County campus.

"Students participating in SHINE will explore nursing concepts and skills through hands-on activities in state-of-the-art teaching labs. Students will tour health care facilities, participate in clinical simulations and take part in cultural exercises.

"Students will also receive information about the different levels of nursing education and positions available for employment. They will also receive information about what action to take now to help them get into nursing school after high school," she said.

Program dates at the Wilburton campus are from June 8-11 and June 22-25 at the Eastern Idabel campus at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, McCurtain County campus. Applications for the program must be made by May 22 for the summer nursing career opportunities.

SHINE is funded by Eastern's Community-Based Job Training-Southeast Nursing Project grant funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. The $1.7 million project was awarded to the Eastern Nursing Department in January 2007 to address the critical nursing shortage in southeast Oklahoma and the nation.

Complete information along with applications and pictures from last years SHINE program are available on the Eastern website at http://www.eosc.edu/academic/nursing/cbjt_son.html or students and parents may contact Ann Hester at 918-465-1824 for program enrollment information.

Hester said students who participate in the SHINE program will receive one extra point on their competitive application to the Eastern associate degree program in nursing.