They are the nurses of the future in a classroom setting that's unique.
The Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College, a new charter school in Providence, opened Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"A brand new model that creates a bridge from high school to college, and that's a very exceptional thing," said superintendent Robert Pilkington.
The school incorporates grades 10, 11, 12 and something called 12-plus.
"And during that fifth year of high school, the students are dually enrolled. They stay in the high school environment for safety and supportiveness, but they're challenged with the college curriculum so that when they graduate from our 12-plus year, they'll be college sophomores," Pilkington said.
There are 126 students with an average class size of 17. The teachers incorporate aspects of health care and nursing into all subjects.
"Whether it be patient weight and body weight and dosages and milliliters. History is the history of American health care system or the history of nursing," Pilkington said.
"Every class they find a way to relate to the medical field and what you'll be dealing with in the future in the medical field. So, it's been interesting to see," said Nicole Cardello, a student.
Cardello was the first student to apply to RINI.
"I knew it was great opportunity and great field to get into, so I was definitely interested," Cardello said.
Why a nursing charter school? Locals in the profession say between replacing an aging workforce and growth in the industry, they expect there will be a tremendous need to fill jobs in the future.
"We know ... there's going to be a need in the next 10 years for over 5,000 more nurses in the state, and we know that we've wanted to diversify the profession," said Donna Policastro of the Rhode Island State Nurses Association.
The staff hopes to create a workforce not only more diverse, but adequately qualified.
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