PBN 2022 Diversity Equity & Inclusion Awards
K-12 Education: Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter High School

The Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter High School, a Providence high school for students who are interested in nursing and other health care professions, has had diversity and inclusion in mind as a core tenet right from the start.

“Representation matters,” said Mimi Tsiane, director of school culture and community, adding that she knew it was a cliche but that it had the benefit of being true.

Pamela McCue, the school’s CEO, believes that diversity and inclusion were baked into the school’s founding principles, as it was founded in 2011 on the mission of diversifying the nursing and health care workforce.

“When patients have nurses who look like them, health communications improve,” McCue said. “We needed nurses for the health of the communities.”

The school has dedicated itself to making sure it hires a diverse workforce to teach and connect with its student body.

“The staff reflect the students,” Tsiane said.

The school has staff who identify as Latino, Black, and white, as well as those who identify as two or more races.

The students are similarly diverse, with many being the first in their family to graduate high school. As a result, the school is also focused on professional development for both staff and students, and hosts after-school programs on advocacy and other topics. Students from other schools often join in during the after-school programs.

Those programs, Tsiane says, ensure students realize that they have a voice and they know how to use it. It’s especially important for them so they can advocate for their patients later in their careers.

Several current students felt prepared enough to work as certified nursing assistants over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. They worked in nursing homes and testing sites and were essentially on the front lines.

In addition to having students undergo CNA training, which is often over the summer, the school regularly pairs students with partners in the Rhode Island health care community for internships.

Lifespan Corp., Rhode Island’s largest hospital system, also runs a mentoring program that students have participated in. The school, when possible, has always worked with companies that are either women- or minority-owned. School staff members also work hard to find whatever resources students might need, including help with financial literacy, housing and access to technology.

McCue said that her staff cultivates an open-door policy on campus for students and families.

McCue was especially proud to note that two current students achieved high scores on the PSAT. Many graduates go on to either a two- or four-year degree, usually at schools in Rhode Island, and often then go on to work in the Rhode Island health care workforce.

The school also works with the All Courses Network, the Community College of Rhode Island and Brown University to ensure students get 12 to 16 college credits while in high school. The All Courses Network is overseen by the R.I. Department of Education.

Looking to the future, the school has begun the process of expanding to teach more students, McCue said.

Tsiane is a large influence on the onboarding process for new students, making sure they feel welcomed and can access what they need. With eight languages spoken throughout the staff, there are no linguistic barriers for new students.

The school’s culture is a reference to what nursing looks like now, and McCue believes the school has had an impact on the nursing workforce in Rhode Island. Even as it implements new ideas and plans, McCue and Tsiane make sure they continue to value the basic tenets they impart to and for their students.

Tsiane said she often asks herself what diversity and accessibility looks like, while also working on how to make sure students truly feel empowered.

Tsiane and McCue are proud of what they’ve accomplished for their school regarding diversity and inclusion, as well as what’s planned for the future.

“Diversity is a way of existing,” Tsiane said, adding that the school’s aim is “the marriage of nursing and education under the lens of diversity.”