Rochelle Community Hospital staff members give insight, answer questions for RTHS kids.
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Real life work experiences often resonate with students, and with that in mind Rochelle Township High School superintendent Jason Harper has created a series of internal field trips this year for students interested in specific STEM-related career fields.
The first was Nov. 28 when Julia Norem, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer and Susan Mueller, MS, APN, FNP, BC, nurse practitioner from Rochelle Community Hospital gave students a broad view of nursing and the opportunities available.
“This is something relatively new for RTHS and our guest speakers did a wonderful job of explaining the various aspects of their jobs,” Harper said. “They provided road maps for students to chart their own courses. As STEM and health careers evolve, it is crucial for our students to interact with STEM career-related professionals.”
Attending the presentation were students Marili Cervantes, Erin Decker, McKenzie Doerr, Morelia Escutia, Monica Hernandez Vasquez, Nanci Hernandez, Mya Latta, Kaytlin Neale, Kaitlynn Ost, Olivia Ramos, Cheyene Watson, Ryleigh Baicco, Anne Hickey, Juleidy Leon, Cora Martinez, Amy Price, Marianne Russell, Kelsey Thompson, and Katie VanHise.
The girls are all juniors and seniors, most of them enrolled in career-related curriculum through the Kishwaukee Education Consortium.
“Health care is our country’s largest industry,” Norem said. “It’s a career field that isn’t downsizing. There will always be a need; always opportunities to work as much or as little as your life allows.”
In her 37th year, Norem said the average age of a nurse is 50.
“‘Baby Boomers’ like me are in the final stages of our work lives. We are also the largest population demographic,” she explained. “We want to retire knowing that when our time comes for good nursing care, there is an ample supply of a generation of nurses.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecast at 15 percent growth in the industry between 2016 and 2026. The healthcare industry is growing faster than others.