Page 13 - HealthcareNews Jan_Feb 2021

Hands-on Learning in a Hands-off World
College Healthcare Programs Meet Unprecedented
Challenge
BAy MARK MORRIS
pandemic has a way of forcing people to be flexible and creative.
That’s especially true for colleges that prepare students for futures in nursing,
physical therapy, and other healthcare occupa- tions. Instructors have transitioned in-person lectures to online learning without much fuss, but health programs also require students to spend months in a clinical setting to obtain hands-on experience. Without this real-world knowledge, students cannot graduate or receive the proper accreditation to become professionals in their field.
Amy Brandt, dean of Health Sciences at Holy- oke Community College (HCC), was working in
Kayla Alien- gena says high-tech tools like virtual real- ity can give students learning experiences beyond sitting at a computer.
New York when the outbreak kicked into high gear last March. Clinical sites she worked with were concerned about student safety and a less effective learning environment at a time when everyone was trying to find their way.
“They knew it wasn’t business as usual,” she said.
Normally, hospitals, long-term-care centers, and other facilities maintain a consistent flow of
students coming in for what are known as clini- cal rotations. This hands-on training is valuable to colleges, their students, and the healthcare organizations themselves, which face a constant need for trained staff. Clinical rotations enable these facilities to educate the workforce they will need going forward.
When COVID-19 came ashore in the U.S. and quickly spread, hospitals and medical practices
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