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Ready, Set, Grad: WA’s comprehensive career and college readiness website for 6th grade through continuing education students, their families, and educators.
Try to take math classes like algebra and geometry—nurses use math every day to calculate medication doses and understand medical data. Science classes such as biology, chemistry, and physics are also important because they help you understand how the human body works. Computer classes are helpful too, since nurses use technology constantly to monitor patients, communicate with healthcare teams, and document care.
English and communication classes matter more than you might think. Nurses need strong writing and speaking skills to explain information clearly to patients and work effectively with others.
These classes will give you a strong foundation for a nursing program in college. Nursing students often work in teams, so learning how to collaborate and communicate now is a big advantage.
Talk with your school counselor about classes you can take now—or in the next few years—that align with your interest in nursing. They can also help you explore colleges and universities that offer nursing programs.
If you want hands-on experience, look for healthcare or nursing camps offered by universities or hospitals. These programs let you see what nurses actually do and connect with other students who share your interests. You might also find Health Explorer programs in your community where professionals talk about their careers.
If you know a nurse—a family member, neighbor, or family friend—ask them about their job. Find out what they enjoy, what’s challenging, and what advice they’d give someone starting out.
And don’t worry if you’re squeamish or don’t like blood. Nursing is a broad field with many career paths, including research, education, informatics, and leadership—some of which don’t involve direct patient care at all.
You don’t have to decide your future career right now. But if you enjoy helping others, solving problems, and making a difference in people’s lives, nursing could be a great fit for you
Another opportunity for students considering a career as a nurse is to get involved with the Health Occupations Students of America, or HOSA.
HOSA is a global student-led organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services and several federal and state agencies. HOSA’s mission is to empower HOSA-Future Health Professionals to become leaders in the global health community, through education, collaboration, and experience. HOSA actively promotes career opportunities in the health industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people. HOSA’s goal is to encourage all health science instructors and students to affiliate and be actively involved in the HSE-HOSA Partnership.
HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition for secondary, postsecondary, and middle school students interested in pursuing careers in health care professions.
Learn more and get involved here, https://hosa.org/what-is-hosa/.
Washington Career Bridge: You can start your Health Care career in many different places, depending on your education. Visit the Washington Career Bridge to find jobs organized by how much education and training they require. Additional education can lead to higher-paying, more skilled health care careers.
The Puget Sound Welcome Back Center at Highline Community College provides counseling and educational services to help prepare internationally trained healthcare professionals to practice their healthcare profession in Washington State.