Nurse Academy

Nurse Academy is a two-day program that introduces high school and college-aged students to the profession of nursing. Through the partnership of The University of Kansas Health System and the University of Kansas School of Nursing, students will have the opportunity to practice hands-on nursing skills, learn about different fields within nursing, and tour several different patient care delivery areas in the hospital.

Nurse Academy 2023

We are excited to announce that Nurse Academy will have two sessions this summer to allow more students the opportunity to participate.

• Session 1: June 20 and 21
• Session 2: July 11 and 12

Both days of each Nurse Academy Session are in-person, on site beginning at 8:00am. A t-shirt will be provided for participants to wear both days.

Application to Nurse Academy

The 2023 Nurse Academy application will open on Monday, February 13, 2023. The application consists of the following sections:

1. Applicant Information
2. Personal Experiences (awards, volunteer work, employment, and/or extracurriculars)
3. Written Essay (one page) answering the questions: What interests you in Nurse Academy? What makes you a good candidate for Nurse Academy?

The application will close Friday, April 7, 2023.

Up to fifty students will be accepted into each Nurse Academy session.  Due to the large number of applicants, a waitlist will be developed.  Student applicants will be notified by email if they are accepted or placed on the waitlist for the program by Monday, May 1, 2023.

Apply Now

Our Vision and History

The goal of Nurse Academy is to show high school and college-aged students how rewarding and exciting the nursing profession can be. Since the early 2000s, the KU School of Nursing and The University of Kansas Health System partnered to create a setting where students can learn about the work and skills of nursing through Nurse Academy.

Nurse Academy Activities

Students hear lectures from accomplished nurses and participate in a skills lab, learning skills like starting an IV, suturing, and performing CPR. In addition, students will experience The University of Kansas Health System's facilities and care departments, such as trauma services, the newborn nursery, the intensive care units, cardiac services, the medical/surgical units, ambulatory care, and the operating room. Additionally, academic and professional activities are offered.

Nurse Academy Participant Comments

• “I learned more about what it will take to be a nurse and what I should focus on in school to have a career in the medical field.”
• “I learned more about the responsibilities of a nurse and how much fun it can be.”
• “I’ve gained a greater knowledge of the overall job of nurses.”
• “I learned that there are a lot of different areas in nursing. You can take so many different avenues. You can always do something different. I learned how specialized and difficult nursing can be! This only makes me want to explore more!”