by Gunnar Eng | Jul 10, 2020 | COVID-19, News, News Slider
Lipscomb’s recent graduates and others currently in the nursing program have been thrown into the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. They join an army of new nurses and nursing students nationwide who have been called into action because of the emergency. “Many signed up for the COVID-19 relief team at Vanderbilt and other area hospitals, which they all did voluntarily and not under any mandatory process from the School of Nursing or Lipscomb,” said Dr. Chelsia Harris, director of the nursing program at Lipscomb. “Many are getting paid in some capacity.” “Some of our graduates went straight to work in hospitals and other health-care facilities with COVID-19 units, post-graduation,” Harris said. “Out of 35 graduates, at least 15 or 16 that I know of have been doing that.” Kayla Neal is a recent graduate, who works as a patient care tech at Skyline Medical Center and AHC Cumberland nursing home. Neal, who graduated in May, has been in close vicinity of quarantined sectors. “They take our temperature at the beginning of the shift and make sure we are wearing our required masks,” Neal said. “All patients are screened beforehand and are also required to wear masks when being transported around.” Neal said the increasing number of patients, due to COVID, is putting stress on the healthcare system. “The nurse-to-patient ratio has increased from five-to-one to six-to-one just while I’ve been working there, and the responsibility for each employee has increased significantly as well,” said Neal. “COVID-19 is a stressful thing, but it gives me an advantage because I’m starting off as a new nurse in the midst of a...
by Gunnar Eng | Jun 29, 2020 | COVID-19, News, News Slider
With the European Union banning American tourists beginning this summer and other factors as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens, study abroad programs have been postponed indefinitely. “This tough decision was a collaborative agreement between our Office of Global Learning, Risk Management, and upper administration,” said Rebecca Zanolini, director of Global Learning, citing information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department as source material in this decision. “Given the current information we have and due to a number of factors out of our control, such as many countries either limiting entrance or imposing a 14-day quarantine on those entering, it is the decision of the university to cancel our fall 2020 study abroad programs,” said Provost W. Craig Bledsoe. The EU has said that American tourists will be banned from entering the continent because the virus is raging uncontrolled here. It is similar to the winter’s ban on most European visitors to the U.S., issued when COVID-19 was reaching its peak in several countries. The university is now making accommodations for all students who planned to study abroad this semester to help them transition into a semester on-campus, including classes and housing registration assistance. “Even with this temporary situation regarding fall 2020 programs, we are moving ahead with our investment in Lipscomb’s global learning program and on-campus activities for students interested in future international travel opportunities,” said Bledsoe. “In the next few weeks the university plans to purchase the Florence villa that has served our global students so well for the last few years,” Bledsoe said. “This is a significant investment in our global learning program...
