by Mercy's Bethany Pope
Key points:
- Mercy and the School District of Washington are teaming up to give high school students hands-on experience through a new apprenticeship.
- The program will begin with patient care with plans to expand to other healthcare-related specialties and career pathways such as culinary services and facilities management.
WASHINGTON, Mo. – High school students interested in healthcare careers can now gain hands-on experience through a new registered youth apprenticeship launched by Mercy and the School District of Washington.
The new program combines classroom instruction with real-world training at Mercy Hospital Washington, giving students direct exposure to healthcare careers.
“Students can now apply what they’re learning in class directly in a healthcare setting,” said Katelyn Huber, School District of Washington business connection coordinator. “Along the way, they build critical skills like communication, teamwork and problem solving while working alongside experienced professionals.”
An apprentice will serve in a patient care associate, or PCA, role and be integrated into the care team supporting safe, high-quality patient care under the guidance of licensed nurses. Responsibilities include assisting with activities of daily living, taking vital signs, maintaining a clean environment and supporting team communication.
“The School District of Washington has been such a strong partner to Mercy Washington for so many years, but this new partnership is truly exciting! It creates meaningful momentum for both Mercy and our community,” said Elizabeth Gillam, Mercy Washington chief nursing officer. “This allows more students to gain real-world exposure to healthcare careers, while our patients are cared for by a growing pipeline of inspired future caregivers.”
Apprentices are paired with experienced team members to ensure a structured and supportive learning environment to help build confidence while understanding the responsibilities and expectations
The program is starting in nursing with plans to expand to other healthcare-related specialties and career pathways.
“We are excited about the opportunity to expand beyond to include roles across the organization from culinary services and facilities management to other patient facing positions,” Gillam said. “This will create a broad, local pipeline of future healthcare professionals who already feel connected to our community.”
