Mary Bridge Children’s nurse gets start at M.A.S.H. Camp
Since 2004, aspiring nurses and allied health professionals have gotten their start at MultiCare Academy for Students in Healthcare (M.A.S.H.) Camp, formerly known as Nurse Camp.
Developed to introduce high school sophomores, juniors and seniors to careers in nursing, the program has evolved to kick-start health care careers in a variety of allied health roles.
One of the MultiCare professionals who found her career path at M.A.S.H. Camp is Rachel Davis, RN. She attended camp in 2011 before her junior year of high school.
In 2016, Davis started as a certified nursing assistant with MultiCare while earning her nursing degree, and now works as a registered nurse in the emergency department at MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.
Davis knew she wanted to go into nursing at a young age. Her father passed away from cancer when she was 14 years old. Throughout the trauma of losing her father, she remembers the compassion and kindness of the nurses.
“The nurses really went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable, answer questions and support us during such a scary time,” she says. “They’re the reason my sister and I are both nurses.”
Although Davis knew she wanted to go into a nursing role, she wasn’t sure where she wanted to specialize. When she heard about M.A.S.H. Camp, Davis jumped at the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience while being exposed to a variety of career paths.
For other students, M.A.S.H. Camp might introduce them to a career in health care they never considered before, or even help them see where they don’t want to end up, says Sheri Mitchell, community outreach program manager for MultiCare.
Rachel (center) at M.A.S.H. Camp in 2011.
During M.A.S.H. Camp, Davis remembers the excitement of learning through hands-on demonstrations and skills workshops. But it was the opportunity to shadow a respiratory therapist at Mary Bridge Children’s that helped her realize she wanted to work with kids.
“Kids get sick, but they’re very resilient, which I love,” she says. “The respiratory therapist led the way for me to decide on my career path. I can’t think of any other career I would want to do.”
So often, Davis says, nurses early in their careers get burned out trying to find the department or unit in which they thrive. M.A.S.H. Camp, she says, is a way to get exposure to different teams and roles early on so students can get their start in a department they’re excited and passionate about.
Now, Davis can’t imagine doing any other work.
“I like seeing the change you can make within a few hours in the emergency department. Kids and parents come in, on what’s often the scariest day of their life, and they walk out feeling comfortable and safe,” she says.
M.A.S.H. Camp is a free, weeklong enrichment program that includes hands-on station rotations, skills demonstrations, job shadows and discussions with health care professionals in a variety of fields.
This year, Davis looks forward to hosting job shadow students of her own, and the opportunity to pay it forward to the next generation of health care professionals.
“MultiCare has been part of my life for almost 15 years now. It’s always been a dream to work here, but it’s better than I could expect,” she says.
Applications for M.A.S.H. Camp open annually to high school students in January; camp is held each July.
MultiCare also offers a variety of paid training programs throughout the year for those age 18 and older. If you’re looking to start or develop your career in health care, see if a paid training program is right for you.
