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HEALTHCARE EDUCATION CONT’D Shared Solution
Portable Ultrasound Allows STCC Students to Train at Home
Springfield Technical Com- munity College (STCC) Professor Eun Soo Lee was worried this past spring her sonog- raphy students wouldn’t be able
to attend in-person labs or clinical sites to obtain hands-on experience with ultrasound scanning.
In the midst of COVID-19-related disruptions, Lee brainstormed and came up with an idea. Why not purchase a portable ultrasound scanner that could be circulated among the seniors? They could share the machine, scan family members, and get the clinical expe- rience they needed from the safety of their own homes. An ultrasound scanner uses high-frequency sound waves to capture images of internal body structures.
“We were just trying to survive during this unprecedented period,” said Lee, an associate professor in the Diagnostic Medical Sonogra- phy program at STCC. “When our seniors were not allowed to go to their clinical sites or to in-person labs on campus in the spring semes- ter, I was very worried that they might not be able to do any ultra- sound scanning this summer semes- ter, which would put our seniors
at a great risk of staying another semester in order to graduate.”
The portable ultrasound was a
hit with students in the weeks after the pandemic forced administrators
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turning for face-to-face training so they feel comfortable stepping into the field.
“We have outside accreditors for those pro- grams, so we have to meet accreditation stan- dards and show competency,” she said. “That’s the goal — to make sure the student shows competence when working with clients in var- ied healthcare facilities. The ultimate focus is to educate safe practitioners. We took that as the primary goal.”
Throughout Western Mass., about 20 col-
leges and universities have developed strategies for how classes will be delivered this fall, from online-only to mostly on-campus, with a num- ber adopting a hybrid approach blending online and in-class instruction, with students able to
to restrict access to campus. As a safety measure, students could not train in labs or at clinical sites in the area.
STCC sonography student Anna Zgerya said she was worried about graduating after COVID-19 restric- tions meant she could not par- ticipate in clinical training in the spring.
“With this machine, we could practice as much as we want at home, which is really a good deal for students,” Zgerya said. “I have three kids, a husband, and par-
ents. I practiced on all of them. My friend is pregnant, and I checked
to see how the baby is doing. She and her husband could see the baby together,” Zgerya said, noting that the husband could not join his wife for regular doctor checkups due to the coronavirus restrictions.
After the spring semester ended, STCC approved low-density labs on campus beginning with summer sessions. The college announced it would continue to offer a combina- tion of on-campus low-density labs and online classes this fall. Instruc- tion plans were made in light of the Commonwealth’s four-phased approach to reopening the Massa- chusetts economy.
Lee said she acquired the portable ultrasound at the beginning of the summer semester, which allowed her to offer off-campus scanning to seniors.
The portable ultrasound contin- ues to benefit students, even with low-density labs being offered. The students can practice at home as much as they want, Lee explained.
“Fortunately, Chris Scott [dean
of the School of Health and Patient Simulation] purchased a machine for us, and we’ve been using it dur- ing the freshmen lab on campus and off campus at seniors’ residenc- es this summer,” she noted. “And most of our clinical sites started to take students back this summer, so I feel so fortunate about it.”
Scott praised Lee for thinking of
Anna Zgerya says the portable ultrasound let students practice at home when they couldn’t participate in clinical train- ing in the spring.
ways to help students during chal- lenging times.
“I applaud Professor Lee for com- ing up with a great idea that ties in with STCC’s mission to support stu- dents as they transform their lives,” he said. “We are doing everything we can during unprecedented times to help our students succeed, and I encourage and support innovative ideas from our faculty and staff.”
To learn more about the Diagnos- tic Medical Sonography program, visit stcc.edu/explore/programs/ dmis.as. v
shift between the two.
Yet, even the online-only schools (most com-
munity colleges fall into this category) have to make an exception for health programs.
At Springfield Technical Community Col- lege (STCC), for example, some programs in the School of Health and Patient Simulation (SHPS) will include low-density, on-campus labs that will include necessary social distancing, PPE, and sanitizing protocols.
For the fall semester, SHPS will deliver courses and programs using a combination of low-den- sity instruction and online, with gathering size set in accordance with state and federal social distancing guidelines. Students in most other programs will learn at home — at least for now.
“STCC has no intention of becoming a fully online institution,” said Geraldine de Berly, vice president of Academic Affairs. “COVID-19 has forced the college to adjust, and we do hope in the future to return to the robust utilization of
campus facilities which include our labs, special- ized equipment, unique technologies, and the rewarding in-person experiences STCC faculty generate with and for students.”
Most programs at UMass will be delivered remotely as well this fall, although students have the option to live on campus. Still, some courses — including health programs that lead to licensure or accreditation in the field — will require some face-to-face instruction.
“About 14% of our student body will be enrolled in those types of courses. The rest will be fully remote,” said Carol Barr, senior vice provost for Undergraduate Education. To ensure social distancing, some face-to-face courses may have students attending on alternate days and learning remotely on other days, as determined by the instructor.
Please see Fall, page 58
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