Pandemic sparks interest in nursing at Villanova
RADNOR » One positive to come out of the CORVID-19 pandemic has been the renewed appreciation for front line medical staff. It may also be leading to another plus - an increased interest in nursing school programs.
Donna Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN,Dean of Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College, says the school has seen commitments increase over the last year and they are getting more inquiries into their Second Degree express nursing program.
“My hypnosis is, after all of this is over, a lot of folks are going to want to enter nursing,” Havens said during a phone interview on Monday. “For the first time in my career, which has been a long one, folks truly get what nurses do and they see how important and rewarding a career it is. “
“People always knew nursing was a noble profession. Some would say nurses are the glue, especially in hospitals and healthcare organizations together,” Havens said. “Nurses know how to get it done, they learned the work-arounds that make it work.”
A second reason Havens believes interest in nursing schools will increase is from the record unemployment that has resulted from the pandemic, with more than 26 million jobs lost in five weeks. While most of those jobs will come back, people in struggling occupations may look to nursing as a rewarding and stable profession, Havens believes.
Havens said Villanova has a program tuned to those adults. The 14-month Second Degree BSN Express is available for people who hold a degree in another field and decide they would like to enter nursing. That program, with its next class scheduled to begin in May, has seen more inquires in the past six weeks.
At Neumann University, nursing and biology majors account for 31 percent of their applications, spokesman Steven Bell, said while they have not seen an increase for fall 2020 enrollment, they do expect a spike in nursing applications this fall for fall 2021.
Officials at Widener University said they have not experienced an increase during the current undergraduate enrollment period, for which we began recruiting in 2019, they see the potential for an uptick in interest in the future.
“Historically speaking, economic downturns translate to an increase in nursing programs due to industry stability and growth, which is projected to rise 15 percent by 2026 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,” said University spokeswoman Emily A Barrett wrote in an email. “Given the industry stability, spotlight on nurses on the front lines of COVID-19, and the highly regarded program at Widener, we can reasonably anticipate a larger draw to a rewarding career in nursing.”
Delaware County Community College has seen a significant increase in the number of students interested in its Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic training programs. The numbers on the schools’ nursing program were not available.
“This spike in interest in our EMT program is similar to the increase we saw after 9/11, when enrollment more than doubled for our EMT program,” said Anthony Twyman, director, government and public relations. “The enrollments for the paramedic program increased after 9/11, but not nearly as much as for the EMT program. The EMT program can be completed in one semester, as opposed to the paramedic program, which takes a year to complete.”
Twyman said both programs are at full capacity right now with 18 EMT students and 13 paramedic students nearing completion of their respective training programs. As a result of the COVID-19 restrictions, classes have been transitioned to an online format and have used simulation, alternate learning modalities and field experiences, as recommended by both regulatory and accrediting agencies to enhance student learning experiences and mastery of program outcomes.
Havens said the pandemic has not closed Villanova’s program which, like other schools, has moved online, including clinical and lab classes.
“There is a good bit of software out there that allows teaching to continue. We’re just doing it in different ways sometimes,” she said. Nurse practitioners are utilizing tele-heath programs and for some online courses, students will wear their uniforms while attending and during hands-on lessons, students have been using family members to practice techniques such as rolling a patient safely.
Havens said a number of alumni and faculty who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus have written about their experiences. “They are talking a little bit about what they are facing. We’ve had alumni from several major hospitals in New York City, Chicago, California. They’re sending their photos and their stories. It’s really compelling.”
An example is Dana Bouwman, a 2019 graduate of Villanova Nursing School, who wrote about her experiences at the Urgent Care Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
“I certainly never imagined I would be working in an oncology emergency department during a worldwide pandemic in my first year as an RN, but I can wholeheartedly say I could not be more proud to be a nurse than I am right now. Despite all the fear, stress, and anxiety we are battling every day, we stand up, power through, and band together; taking everything one day at a time. It’s in our nature to help and be there for others even if the world is seemingly crashing around us,” Bouwman writes.
“This COVID-19 is unlike anything I’ve seen in my 23 years of nursing,” wrote Villanova clinical staff instructor Jennifer Mondillo about her work as Nurse Practitioner for Optum Health in the Philadelphia area. “The virus is so invisible, and we don’t know who has it or who doesn’t. Usually in medicine, we find the cause and treat. The length of the isolation is unique too. We have closed down units for the flu in the past, but not usually for this length of time. The isolation of no visitors for our geriatric population, and all patients, is difficult. It’s amazing to see staff continue to do so much more than just their jobs to keep things light and as interactive as possible. The teamwork of all staff has been heartwarming! Staff are singing with them, doing puzzles with them and we have FaceTimed families for birthdays or just to say hello. And it’s all staff – dietary, housekeeping, nursing assistants.”
Havens said the College of Nursing is getting ready to launch a nationwide study of those on the front lines caring for COVID-19 patients, including nurses, clinicians and other health care provides and first responders, firefighters, police and EMTS. “We believe they are going to have some very interesting stories to share about what it means, about their fears and feelings, how it is impacting their well being and their health.”
Havens believes some of those front line medical staff who have battled COVID-19 will experience a certain level of post traumatic stress including depression and trouble sleeping.