夜色视频

Reading about diseases and disasters is one thing. Walking into a room full of people who appear to be wounded and hysterical is another.

That鈥檚 why Nazareth鈥檚 simulation suite and skills lab, renovated in a revitalization of the nursing program, are important to students.

鈥淭hey can now work in a real-life clinical setting,鈥� says Professor and Chair in Nursing Jeanine Santelli, Ph.D. In the real world, she says, 鈥渘ursing students get knocked out of the way鈥� as professionals rush in. But in the simulation suite and the skills lab, students get to decide whom to treat and how to proceed鈥攁nd the practice areas are larger and better equipped because of a recent $3.5 million renovation. Brigid Noonan, Ph.D., dean of the School of Health and Human Services, is thrilled. 鈥淭he new facilities match the quality of a Nazareth education,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd they allow faculty and students to focus on their preparation.鈥�

In addition, the new facilities let students practice fundamental skills before they go out into hospitals. Last semester the program ran a simulation of a multi-vehicle accident. Santelli says, 鈥淪tudents walked into 鈥榯he ER.鈥� Some 鈥榩atients鈥� were bleeding, some were dead, others couldn鈥檛 breathe. Who鈥檚 the priority? What needs to happen?鈥� The scenario pulled students鈥� skills together and taught them about their own responses to medical turmoil.

鈥淪tudents are really excited,鈥� Santelli says. 鈥淭he biggest tell that we鈥檝e done something amazing is that they鈥檙e now clamoring for more open lab time.鈥�

Students are also enjoying several new collaborative spaces where they can study or relax. Walls have white boards, and tables include cord ports so students can plug in and work collaboratively on a big screen. 鈥淚t鈥檚 gratifying to see them using the space the way I鈥檇 envisioned,鈥� Santelli says.

The transformation goes beyond upgrading the physical structures. Now the program offers a reformatted, user-friendly bachelor鈥檚 degree program for working nurses. Classes are every other weekend, a pattern that complements hospital shift scheduling. 鈥淪omeone going through it full time should finish in about 16 months,鈥� Santelli reports.

Applications to the nursing program are up, thanks partly to rising test scores. 鈥淲hen I inherited the program in 2011, we set a goal of raising our scores on the national licensure test,鈥� Santelli notes. 鈥淲e鈥檙e now at 94%.鈥� Several changes contributed to the increase. Expectations of students were clarified, faculty tightened up curriculum, a required chemistry course was included to ensure that applicants felt capable in science, and a mandatory review class was added. The result of a more rigorous curriculum? More dedicated applicants, and a more selective program.

Quality nursing applicants are also drawn to Nazareth, Santelli says, by what sets the program apart: an emphasis on transcultural nursing. That includes 鈥渒nowing that the culture from which people come influences their health-care decisions. It鈥檚 having an awareness of their perspective and then sensitively helping to bridge any gaps.鈥�

The program is now strong, but, Santelli notes, 鈥渨e won鈥檛 rest on our laurels. This is a good time to look at the undergraduate curriculum and rewrite it鈥攊deally we鈥檒l rework the graduate studies as well.鈥� She adds that an assessment will be conducted to see what kind of graduate program would be the best fit locally.

Santelli鈥檚 overall impression of the changes? 鈥淲e鈥檝e accomplished some very positive things,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he remodel is beautiful, and the students are excited to problem solve for a real setting.鈥�

Joanie Eppinga is a freelance writer and editor in Spokane, Washington.