Students in the Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree Program at LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing will resume their clinical education next week, initially at West Jefferson Medical Center.
“Clinical faculty will be teaching students as well as providing patient care in the clinical setting,” noted Jennifer Manning, DNS, APRN, CNS, CNE, associate dean for the Undergraduate Nursing Program and associate professor of Clinical Nursing at LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing.
Learning how to care for patients in clinical settings is an essential part of every nursing program curriculum, and State Boards of Nursing mandate these experiences for licensure.
“The academic practice partnership with West Jefferson Medical Center uses a model endorsed by several professional organizations,” noted Demetrius Porche, DNS, PhD, ANEF, FACHE, FAANP, FAAN, professor and dean of LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing. “This innovative academic practice model places the students’ educational experience and expected clinical competencies at the center of their patient care experience. Nursing is a practice discipline that requires human to human care.”
Like schools in other areas hit hard by COVID-19, LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing pulled its students out of hospital settings to conserve personal protective equipment (PPE.) Now that supplies are being replenished, students will be able to return.
“The hospitals have assured us there is adequate PPE for the students and faculty,” said Todd Tartavoulle, DNS, APRN, CNS-BC, program director for Traditional BSN Program and associate professor of Clinical Nursing at LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing. “Our dean is working on obtaining additional PPE, if they need it. Everyone is receiving an orientation that includes PPE education, and we have also provided each student with additional information on PPE usage.”
“As other opportunities arise, all our full-time clinical faculty will be transitioning back in the clinical environment with the students,” saidManning.
Some LSU Health New Orleans nursing students could not wait to get back into the hospitals to contribute to the COVID-19 response. They have been working as Emergency Room nurse techs in the interim to help support their professional colleagues and ease the burden of an influx of patients.
“As an ER Tech working with COVID patients for the last few weeks, I see there is a real need for health care workers,” said Jeremy Moniz, a JR II student in LSU Health New Orleans Traditional BSN Program. “LSU Health nursing students resuming clinical rotations will help to decrease that need.”