91吃瓜网

By Michelle Consorte

Officially, DEU stands for dedicated education unit, but according to the students who work this 12-hour nursing shift every Wednesday, the E could just as easily stand for experience.

鈥淲e鈥檙e doing the same things that the newly hired nurse at the hospital is doing,鈥� said junior Shaniek Winborne, one of the eight nursing students completing her second semester in the DEU at in Manhasset, New York.

Unlike the traditional clinical experience in which eight students all report to one preceptor (nurse mentor) and where each cares for just one patient, the DEU model is much more individualized, matching a maximum of two students to a single preceptor, who works with and tracks the students over three semesters.

鈥淭hey know what鈥檚 expected of them as a real nurse,鈥� added Samantha Palumba, R.N., a preceptor at in Roslyn, New York. 鈥淚f I had that, I would have been so much better-prepared starting out.鈥�

Additionally, the DEU model strives for consistency and allows students to better acclimate by placing them with the same nurse mentor for all three semesters that they鈥檙e at the hospital. Students also have the choice of completing their senior capstone there

鈥淵ou really get to know your preceptor; you establish a friendship with that nurse,鈥� said Samantha Avila, another junior at North Shore Hospital, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. 鈥淓veryone [in the hospital] gets to know our faces. My nurse is always like, 鈥楪o huddle in with that group.鈥� It鈥檚 really great that we get those experiences. You get to see what you鈥檒l actually be doing [as a nurse].鈥�

Through this extensive hands-on training, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a huge improvement in how students learn,鈥� said Deborah Murphy 鈥�85, clinical assistant professor and coordinator of clinical and community affairs at Adelphi鈥檚 College of Nursing and Public Health. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e created a healthy working environment and encompassed students in how the facility runs, how to communicate with doctors. After the first day, they鈥檙e comfortable and they really soar.鈥�

鈥淭he amount of support the students are getting is astronomical,鈥� Assistant Clinical Professor Nancy Cole, M.S., R.N., added.

Not only do students learn side-by-side with nurse mentors in a real hospital setting, but they also get to work closely with doctors. 鈥淲e became one big family. There鈥檚 always someone willing to answer our questions, even doctors,鈥� said Nicoletta DiDonato, a junior now in the St. Francis DEU. 鈥淲e can follow doctors when they go on their rounds and establish a rapport,鈥� according to Allyn Weissleder, a junior in the DEU at North Shore.

On the flip side, participating hospitals also benefit and take a vested interest in these students.

鈥淭he students are very impressive,鈥� said Lorraine Petrovich, CNRN, a preceptor at the North Shore DEU. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great experience for them and a big help for the hospital. I think [the program] is wonderful.鈥�

The hospital, in addition to receiving extra hands on deck, can鈥攊f it does decide to hire any of the students after their graduation鈥攄rastically reduce their orientation period. 鈥淲hen they graduate they鈥檒l be all ready to go鈥攁nd won鈥檛 need to spend as much time in training. They already know the computer system which, honestly, is the hardest part,鈥� Ms. Petrovich said, laughing.

One former student from the first DEU cohort at St. Francis stands as living proof of the program鈥檚 success: shortly after graduating from Adelphi, the student was hired as a staff nurse at St. Francis and is now on track to become a nurse manager.

鈥淲ith healthcare in our society today we need people [like these students] who are very well prepared, who bring a personal touch,鈥� said Sr. Katherine A. Murphy, RN-BC, CCRN, CHPN, NP-C, clinical nurse specialist at St. Francis.

鈥淚 would definitely recommend it to any student. I鈥檝e told students who are behind me [in the nursing program]: definitely apply to the DEU program,鈥� said Ingrid Pyram, another junior.听 鈥淎t the end of the shift, my feet hurt but [when I鈥檓 not there or I鈥檓 in traditional clinicals] I miss the hectic running around鈥�It鈥檚 stressful but definitely worth it,鈥� Samantha added.

Adelphi鈥檚 College of Nursing and Public Health, which first developed a DEU with St. Francis in 2009, next plans to establish more DEUs at North Shore. It has also developed another unit in partnership with in Mineola, New York, and yet another collaboration is now underway with in Port Jefferson, New York.