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Na-ha-shnee students prep

Na-ha-shnee students in lab

From June 21 to the 27, the 14th annual Na-ha-shnee Native American Health Science Institute at WSU Spokane will provide 25 high school students from 19 Native American tribes with an understanding that they can make a difference in their own community by studying to become health professionals. Guided 24/7 by current Native American nursing students serving as the counselors for the week, the high schoolers will be able to see and ask what it takes to succeed in a health degree program.

“My hope in attending this camp is to get a first-hand look at working in a health care environment,” said Karina Farr of the Squaxin Island Tribe. “I believe it will assist me in focusing my decision on which branch of the industry I will put my energy toward, even though currently, I am striving for a career in pediatric medicine. I hope that one day I could help care for the children of the Squaxin Island Tribe.” 

The U.S. is facing a critical healthcare provider shortage. Unfortunately, the shortage is even greater in Native populations. According to a 2003 article in the “Institute of Medicine,” there is strong evidence that a healthcare workforce reflecting the diversity of its people is able to provide better quality care than one that does not.

Na-ha-shnee brings together many Native American healthcare professionals who will create awareness for the need of native healthcare professionals now and in the future. They will provide mini educational workshops in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, speech and hearing, psychiatric/mental health nursing, family nurse practitioner, exercise physiology and nutrition. Returning students to the program will receive a more-in-depth experience including the opportunity to tour Deaconess Medical Center and job shadow healthcare professionals at St. Lukes Rehabilitation Hospital.

Topics include history, culture, healthcare needs of Native Americans, first aid and CPR, gathering of traditional medicines, Native American teachings, basic nursing skills, leadership skills, team building activities, diabetes education, substance abuse and sex education. The students will also experience a variety of activities including; a trip to WSU CityLab to conduct DNA experiments with Dr. Sylvia Oliver; a pharmacy lab experiment with Dr. Jennifer Robison from the College of Pharmacy where they will make hand lotion compound; and a trip to the WSU Pullman campus to visit the human anatomy lab.

“Most of the experience the students will have during their week will be new, challenging and thought provoking,” said Robbie Paul, NARR Director for Health Sciences at WSU Spokane. “Many of these students want to find a career where they can help other people and healthcare professions are ideal for that desire. The concept of giving back to your community is a fundamental ideology of Native American culture.”

The camp will culminate with an award ceremony reception at Whitworth University. Paul, who is from the Nez Perce Tribe, will be giving the closing address along with awarding certificates of completion to students. Pat Moses from the Spokane Tribe will be doing an honor song and blessing for the students and parents.

The 14th Annual Na-ha-shnee Native American High School Heath Sciences Institute is sponsored by the WSU College of Nursing Trude Smith Native American Endowment, WSU Creighton Endowment, Plateau Native American Scholarship, WSU College of Pharmacy with a grant received from Walgreens, and additional support from WSU Pullman WWAMI Medical Education Program. The result of an earlier student leadership exercise to give the summer institute a Native American-sounding name, Na-ha-shnee is an amalgamation of the words Native American High School Summer Nursing Institute. It has no literal translation in any tribal language.

About the WSU College of Nursing
The WSU College of Nursing graduates more entry-level nurses each year than any other institution in the state of Washington. The college educates more than 1,000 upper-division undergraduate and graduate students, and provides upper-division undergraduate nursing education in partnership with Eastern Washington University and Whitworth University as part of the nation's first, oldest, and most comprehensive nursing education consortium. The college continues to be a national leader in distributive nursing education models, serving students across five campuses across the state in Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, Walla Walla and Yakima, and is engaged in research studies leading to improvements in nursing care, the health care system, and the health of the public.
 
About Washington State University Spokane
WSU Spokane is the urban campus of Washington State University, a land-grant research university founded in 1890. The campus features advanced studies and research in health sciences and health professions, the design disciplines, education, social and policy sciences, and science and technology. WSU is one of just 95 public and private research universities with very high research activity, according to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifications. In addition, U.S. News & World Report ranks WSU as one of the top public research universities in the nation.
 
Web sites:
WSU College of Nursing: http://nursing.wsu.edu
WSU Spokane: www.spokane.wsu.edu