Education Benefits Patients
As manager of Clinical Education at Southeast Georgia Health System, Cox oversees seven educators who educate and train nurses, doctors and other clinicians, as well as two educators who teach diabetes education to hospital staff and out-patients. A 30-year Health System employee and veteran of the nursing profession, June Paul, R.N., BSN is one of the clinical instructors assisting Cox. “As educators, we get to see our team members in action at the bedside, feeling confident and comfortable in their skill set.”
An Ongoing Quest
Vaccine distribution is just an aspect of clinical education. Medical advances never stop, and neither does learning. Every test and procedure requires training before it reaches the patient. Each doctor, nurse or clinician responsible for your care must master the latest processes and policies, quality measures, organizational and clinical goals. That’s not possible without continuing education. “We’re constantly learning new practices. We have to stay on our toes,” says Cox.
It’s a tall order, but Health System employees rise to the challenge. “I like the commitment I see in our team members. They are hungry for professional development and ways to engage with our patients. It feels good, working alongside people who truly want to serve others,” adds Cox.
Cox and Paul empower that desire to serve by cultivating relationships through education. They encourage clinicians to explore new and better ways to meet patient needs and ensure outcome-focused care. “Staff members don’t just complete tasks, they look at the end results. For example, a patient may have been prescribed medication for high blood pressure, but their blood pressure has actually been lower than what’s normal. The nurse makes the clinical decision to hold the medication and notify the physician. They’re thinking about how the medication may affect the patient’s blood pressure versus just thinking about the task of administering medicine,” Paul says.
The Clinical Education team was busy before the pandemic; over the last year, they took on even more responsibility. “COVID training and support is at the forefront of all we do. It’s very different from anything we’ve done before,” Cox says. And it’s all done on the go, with little time for planning. It begins with training staff in personal protective equipment (PPE) practices and proper methods for collecting COVID test specimens. It continues through the care of COVID patients and how to open new COVID units. It’s anything but “one and done.” Every new nurse hired receives specialized training. “We want to make sure everyone feels safe and has the knowledge to care for COVID patients,” Cox says, adding, “Health care workers must be flexible in order to reprioritize quickly. That helps you stay resilient and positive.”
Paul reflects on some of the changes. “At the beginning of the pandemic, our education team sterilized and delivered masks to the nursing units. A couple of the educators worked with patients at the bedside. We worked with the discharge nurse to discharge patients going home and we helped admit new patients. We also assisted the Senior Care Centers with weekly COVID-19 testing of residents and staff. Pre-COVID, these duties were not a part of an educator’s role.”
Clinical knowledge helps frontline workers stay safe, but the educators also provide emotional support, including resiliency support and training. A “Care Cart” with drinks and snacks travels through units to reach providers who can’t leave the bedside of seriously ill patients. Hospital chaplains provide emotional and spiritual support. Between training sessions, educators diligently disinfect tables and chairs, and restock single-use training materials. “We also focus on wellness. If anyone has cold-like symptoms, we encourage them to stay home.”
Working tirelessly behind the scenes, Michelle Cox, June Paul and their co-workers prepare the staff for another day’s battle with the coronavirus. Their dedication benefits everyone. “Educators must have a passion for seeing how we’re all connected. Team member education ultimately reaches our patients,” Cox says. Her colleague agrees. “I believe in what we do to serve our community and support one another,” Paul says.
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