More than 30 students (right) from throughout Solano County who were selected to participate in the 2019 NorthBay Nurse Camp were able to take part in hands-on activities during their four-day session, exploring Surgery, Labor & Delivery, the Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department and the Cardiac Catheterization Lab.

It was a lively, friendly group of Nurse Camp graduates who came together in May at NorthBay Healthcare’s Green Valley Administration Center to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Nurse Camp. Co-founders Maureen Allain, R.N., and retired nurse Mary Hempen reunited with many of their colleagues who continue to support the program. They learned that a good number of their guests were either nurses, studying to be nurses, or were working elsewhere in health care. The camp, which was created to spark interest in health care to offset a nursing shortage, has seen nearly 500 students graduate since 2004.