March 31, 2020
About 70 students in Delta College’s nursing program will soon be able to enter the
workforce thanks to regulatory changes in the required clinical time needed to graduate.
The temporary changes were announced March 30 in an emergency order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and supported by the Michigan Board of Nursing.
The state will now allow 100 percent of online education to count for completion of studies, which was previously not allowed. All students, including nursing majors, transitioned to online learning March 18 after Delta suspended labs and closed buildings as part of a statewide effort to decrease the spread of COVID-19.
“Because of the high level of computerized simulations and scenario-based learning, which are already part of the curriculum, Delta’s nursing program’s ability to convert to 100 percent online instruction is outpacing that of other educational institutions statewide,” said Daisy McQuiston, associate professor and interim nursing coordinator.
McQuiston said Delta’s nursing faculty, who are all licensed and practicing nurses themselves, are diligently working to create additional assignments, case studies, concept maps, virtual simulations and projects to help meet the required outcomes of each course.
“This is a productive decision for the students and the community,” said Dr. Jean Goodnow, president of Delta College. “Our soon-to-be graduates will join the workforce at a time of great need in our region, and I am incredibly grateful for the dedicated, caring and exceptional faculty members at Delta who are going above and beyond to ensure that their students are well prepared and confident.”
Since mid-March, nursing students have been impacted by a lack of placements at medical centers due to health facility policies regarding COVID-19, and they were not allowed to practice in Delta’s laboratories due to building closures.
McQuiston said students will now be able to work as graduate nurses at hospitals and other medical centers. When they pass the state licensing exam, they will become registered nurses.
Written by Leah Twilley, Communications Specialist.