Metro East Sun

HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital recently hosted its sixth and largest High School Healthcare Bootcamp, welcoming 40 high school students from Southern Illinois on December 30. The event aimed to provide juniors and seniors interested in health care careers with a practical insight into various roles within the industry.

Ericka Mulroy, Nursing Professional Development Specialist for Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), explained the program's benefits: “Through these job shadowing experiences, students are able to learn the role of the career, the type of education that is required, skills that are performed and network with our medical professionals.” Students engaged in hands-on skill sessions at St. Elizabeth’s and spoke directly with HSHS employment specialists about potential opportunities.

The bootcamp offered three department experiences where students participated in activities such as adult and infant CPR, hand hygiene, and cardiac monitoring under the guidance of clinical educators and nurses. These interactions were designed to help students explore their interest in health care before graduating high school.

The event was free for participants due to funding from HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Foundation. Schools represented included Althoff, Belleville East, Belleville West, Breese Central, Breese Mater Dei, Bond County Central Community, Collinsville, Freeburg Community, Mascoutah, Nashville, O'Fallon Township, St. Louis Township, Troy Triad, Waterloo, and Wesclin.

For those unable to attend but still interested in job shadowing with HSHS, future opportunities can be found at hshs.org/careers/student-opportunities.