Post-COVID, the need for nurses is still critical as the profession transitions to the next generation.
Medical beds with privacy curtains line the walls of the Fernandina Beach High nursing program classroom. Medical supplies, dioramas and mannequins fill the space as instructor Stephanie Adams trains the next set of healthcare professionals.
A nurse with more than 20 years of experience, Adams has 15 students in her three-period class specifically for seniors. Students can earn a nursing assistant license by the end of the course.
Adams is in her fifth year as a teacher and still works in nursing, occasionally bumping into former students in the field.
She said the first semester involves learning anatomy and physiology, healthcare procedures and policies. The students also conduct health screenings for elementary and middle school students, checking hearing, vision, BMI and height.
Adams said healthcare isn’t subject to a single discipline. Beyond nursing, some of her students have gone into dental, radiology, respiratory therapy, or psychology fields. Another student is working to become an EMT, she said.
“I do have several (former) students who stayed on the island working at local facilities,” Adams said. “(Employers) will see one of our students on their applications and they know we’ve trained them really well and hire them.”
Seniors graduating in 2026 were starting middle school when COVID-19 struck, but its impacts remain. Senior Passion Roberts said her favorite part was knowing she could make a difference and help people.
“Especially after COVID, I think more people have started to become sick,” Passion said. “I think it’s important for everyone to know how to do skills like CPR or the Heimlich Maneuver."
Eriyhanna Hamm highlighted helping older residents. The students show middle schoolers what to do, Isabella Sell and Savion Roberts added.
“I would definitely say that you can make an impact on others’ lives once you leave this class and also while you’re doing the class,” Savion said.
Students in the field need to have to want to help others, be able to self-learn and self-report if they make mistakes. The students’ passion is inspiring, Adams said.
Adams’ first year teaching was during COVID-19. The need for more nurses is huge, but so is keeping them around, she said.
The environment, pay and workload can sway a future nurse’s decision. Adams said the younger generations will work, but they are seeking a sustainable work-life balance.
“I think all industries have to rework how they work,” she added. “They’ll work crazy times and crazy hours, but when they want off, they want off.”
The district has four nursing programs at high schools with 100% pass rates. District Career and Technical Education Director Tammy Johnson said the instructors collaborate. The district will add a medical assisting program at West Nassau High next year, she said.
“The medical institutions around here prioritize our students across the district, because they know the quality of education they’re receiving,” Johnson said.