Nursing Student Bootcamp Preps Freshmen for Future in Healthcare

Students looking to start training for careers in nursing were put through their initial paces as  Texas Southmost College held its first New Nursing Student Orientation Bootcamp on August 7-9, 2024.

Hosted at TSC’s International Technology, Education, and Commerce (ITEC) Center, the three-day boot camp was designed from the ground up to be a new and comprehensive informational session covering a multitude of areas for students preparing to take their first steps into TSC’s LVN and ADN nursing programs.

As part of the camp, new students were introduced to their programs’ faculty and administrative figures. Because these students will be working so closely with their instructors, it’s especially important for them to know who they can turn to whenever they have questions and establish an early rapport so that they’re comfortable turning to them for assistance.

Elena Garcia, an instructor with TSC’s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program, knows firsthand just how important it is for students to get an early start in getting to know their instructors and their support network. “In the past, we have observed that some students face challenges such as underestimating the demanding nature of academic work and experience psychosocial challenges such as financial concerns, navigating family dynamics, and managing self-care,” she began. “Our nursing program is a challenging yet incredibly rewarding journey, and we’re dedicated to equipping our incoming students with everything they need to succeed.”

A crucial component of this is making sure that new students know the variety of resources and services available to them as TSC students, many of which they will have to utilize at some point in their academic journey.

“This is an opportunity for us to reinforce program expectations, introduce valuable resources, guide students through essential learning systems, and give them a chance to connect with instructors, peers, and their entire support network,” said Garcia. “We collaborate with TSC Student Services to ensure students are well informed and empowered to utilize important services such as financial aid, tutoring, and community resources.”
On the third day of the boot camp, family members joined the new students for a bilingual presentation designed to give them a better idea of the expectations that the nursing students will be expected to adhere to throughout their courses. The presentation touched on factors such as average studying time, assignment time, and clinical rotations.

To Samantha Martinez, an instructor for the ADN program, addressing the student-family dynamics is one of the most important aspects covered during the camp. “Day three of the bootcamp is always my favorite,” said Martinez. “We invite the families to join us here so that we can give them a better idea of the commitment that these students are expected to devote to their studies, but we also let them know the many ways in which they can be supportive. Family responsibilities can be heavy, but we want to make sure that they understand that because being in nursing school is like a full-time job. We also encourage a lot of open communication between students and families to keep them in the loop of what’s going on, when exams are, and so forth.

This approach to transparency and open communication seems to be working, as many parents and relatives left the session and subsequent tour of the medical training facilities with a better understanding of the programs. “I think it’s amazing, and it was impressive to see such high-tech training labs that they have access to as part of their training,” said Rosie Sanchez, whose daughter Monica will be entering the ADN program this semester. “Seeing the level of education and the hands-on experiences that Monica will be getting, I feel super confident in her ability to succeed.”

Monica’s impressions of the information provided through the three-day camp were equally optimistic. “Meeting the instructors, seeing the labs, and getting a feel for how supportive everyone is in the program really helped. It’s a very inviting environment, so I’m excited.”