AdventHealth
Emma Mattson is a registered dietitian at AdventHealth, but she has always been curious about nursing. She took the first step toward pursuing that passion when she enrolled at AdventHealth University (AHU) last year to study for a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
During her studies, Mattson found herself looking forward to her clinical rotations, where something special was taking place. Her clinical instructor Hannah Schumacher, a nurse in the neurological intensive care unit at Advent- Health Orlando, is one of five nurses in a newly created nursing role called clinical scholar. These clinical scholars spend two 12-hour shifts caring for patients in the hospital, and then spend their third shift serving as a clinical instructor for nursing students at AHU. As part of AHU’s core nursing classes — Adult Health I or Fundamentals — Schumacher teaches seven to eight students in two distinct but complimentary sessions: three weeks in a simulation lab and seven weeks on a hospital unit.
“I love seeing the students grow from scared and cautious to being confident in their role and getting ready to go out on their own. They are starting to put the pieces together,” said Schumacher, her eyes growing bright, her passion evident.
Schumacher and other educators hope many more individuals will find a passion for nursing. That’s because the turnover rate and shortages in the nursing profession have drastically increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Florida Hospital Association projects the state will have a shortage of 59,100 nurses by 2035. The association credits this shortage to a combination of factors, including population growth, an aging population, baby boomer nurses retiring, and nurses leaving the profession. AdventHealth nursing leaders continue to work diligently to discover and implement innovative solutions to not only stem the nursing shortfall but also improve job satisfaction for nurses.
This new dual role that bridges the academic and clinical sides of nursing is a win in so many ways, nursing leaders say.
“It’s a win for students, a win for the University, a win for nursing retention, and a win for AdventHealth,” said Kathy Gover, M.S.N., R.N., NEA-BC, vice president of nursing practice and innovation for AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division. “This gives clinical staff the opportunity to do something different from working at the bedside. This alleviates some pressure while keeping nurses at the hospital bedside. It also gives them a gentle, beautiful entry into the academic world of nursing.”
Schumacher wholeheartedly agreed. “I’ve noticed a significant difference in my own personal job satisfaction,” she said. “I was feeling really burnt out. When we are on academic breaks and I go back to my three-shift week on the unit, I noticed a big difference in my mental health and energy level.”
Colleges and universities also are experiencing a shortfall in nursing faculty at a time when nursing schools are being called upon to increase their nursing-student enrollment, so this new role helps to meet those demands.
Students like Mattson are also reaping the benefits of having an instructor who continues to be involved in caring for patients and their families.
“Students appreciate getting knowledge from a nurse who actively is in practice,” said Gover.
Perpetual “Angel” Fernandes Hoare, a clinical scholar who is a registered nurse on the cardiology intensive care unit at AdventHealth Orlando, said she see students benefit from the hands-on experience as they prepare to transition to a first-year nurse. “I try to make it a safe space for them, where they can ask questions and learn from mistakes. I try to make learning fun.”
Gover said she plans to expand the new job role to other AdventHealth hospitals in the central Florida division.
AdventHealth University | May 2024
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