NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A brand-new charter school set to open in Nashville is ready to nurture the next generation of healthcare heroes.
Teaching the next generation of nurses is not just a job for Andrea Poynter — it’s her calling. She knows all too well how difficult the road can be.
“I had a nursing instructor tell me that nursing was too advanced for me and diverted me toward the cosmetology course,” Poynter said.
Despite what that instructor told her, Poynter became a nurse 19 years ago. Now, she has been guiding others into the same career field for over a decade.
“How do you know what's too difficult for someone?” Poynter asked. “This is a process. We're developing; we're growing.”
That’s why she became the executive director for Nurses Middle College Nashville — a free charter high school opening its doors this year.
“One of the pain points that drove the need for this school is the severe nursing shortage,” said Poynter. “And it's not getting better.”
The Tennessee Hospital Association says that by 2035, there will be a shortfall of 8,500 nurses in the state.
This program aims to fill this gap by bringing on 500 students over the next four years.
“You're going to get a high school curriculum. You're going to graduate with a high school diploma,” said Poynter. “But you're also going to do clinical hours. You're going to do workforce development.”
Kids can attend for free — the only requirement is that they finish middle school.
And while they're not full-fledged nurses when they graduate high school, they'll have a leg up on the credentials they'll need to get there, like a CNA certificate.
Poynter said this also allows the school to prepare students from diverse and low socioeconomic backgrounds.
“So being able to have healthcare professionals who are from similar backgrounds, speak similar languages, and have similar religious practices, caring for people in the community is a huge driving force for the school,” said Poynter.
The school will select ninth graders through a random lottery system. The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 28th, at midnight.
Click here, to access the application.
To contact the program you can email them: info@nursesmcnashville.org
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@Newschannel5.com
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