On any given day in any given Central Florida hospital, it 麻豆精品 S檚 typical to see UCF College of Nursing students in their signature black scrubs taking part in clinical education.
What 麻豆精品 S檚 uncommon is for these students to pair with trained hospital nursing staff instead of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 faculty instructors. That 麻豆精品 S檚 what happened recently for six weeks when a group of 30 undergraduate UCF students participated in a new kind of clinical rotation called dedication education units, or DEUs, at AdventHealth East Orlando and Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC).
The DEU model is gaining in popularity across the U.S. for its proven benefits to nursing schools and healthcare organizations 麻豆精品 S� and ultimately benefiting the community.
Research has found that DEUs provide nursing students with a more realistic preparation for clinical practice, leading to improved patient care. In hospitals, DEUs engage staff in educating the next generation of nurses, which has shown increased job satisfaction and reduced nurse burnout and turnover.
麻豆精品 S淚n order to capitalize on the benefits of a DEU initiative, it cannot be underestimated the importance of a true academic and healthcare organization collaboration, 麻豆精品 S� says Kate Dorminy 麻豆精品 S�06BSN 麻豆精品 S�10MSN, undergraduate clinical education coordinator at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Nursing.
For months before the DEU launch, UCF worked closely with AdventHealth and Orlando Health to identify units with higher levels of patient care to maximize learning opportunities for students. More than 25 nursing staff members in the identified units across both systems then received training to become a preceptor for undergraduate students.
麻豆精品 S淐ollaborative strategy, training, and communication are all required well before the students arrive onsite for their first day, 麻豆精品 S� Dorminy says. 麻豆精品 S淭he effort is worth the valuable outcome at the end, which is a positive long-lasting learning experience. 麻豆精品 S�
Progress in Patient Care
Senior nursing student Emilee Meeks can attest to that.
麻豆精品 S淭his clinical experience was much different than my previous clinicals in many ways, 麻豆精品 S� says the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student.
In DEUs, students work in the same unit alongside the same preceptor and colleagues for six weeks. Students take care of several patients as part of a team instead of taking care of one patient as a guest on a unit. In addition, students participate in rounds and communicate with all healthcare team members. As a result, they learn workflow on a unit, time management, communication and organizational skills, and the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork.
At AdventHealth East Orlando, Meeks paired with Jason McRoberts 麻豆精品 S�22BSN in the progressive care unit.
麻豆精品 S淚t was always so welcoming to walk on the unit and to be greeted with a smile from the same preceptor each morning. He was invested in my learning and pushing me to strive for excellence, 麻豆精品 S� Meeks says. 麻豆精品 S淔rom the first day, Jason helped guide me through multiple experiences such as medication administration and patient assessment. He also asked questions to ensure I understood the reasoning behind what we were doing. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淏eing a preceptor in the DEU model of learning allowed me more time to focus on developing my student 麻豆精品 S檚 hands-on clinical and critical thinking skills, which are required to be a successful nurse, 麻豆精品 S� says McRoberts, who previously has been a preceptor for nursing students in a traditional clinical model. 麻豆精品 S淚t is important to mentor future nurses, to introduce them to the profession, and to be a role model to exemplify how a nurse should conduct themselves. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淚 am proud to be a part of this new partnership, 麻豆精品 S� says instructor Sotos Djiovanis 麻豆精品 S�20MSN 麻豆精品 S�15BSN, who is the DEU liaison at AdventHealth East Orlando. 麻豆精品 S淭he students made incredible progress in patient care, and the team at AdventHealth 麻豆精品 S� the leadership, unit managers and educators 麻豆精品 S� all worked tirelessly to provide an engaging clinical learning experience for our students. 麻豆精品 S�
Immersive Clinical Learning
Taylor Floyd, an accelerated second degree BSN student, had a similar experience across town at Orlando Health ORMC.
麻豆精品 S淏y being able to work with the same nurse each week, we were able to develop a relationship and I truly gained an understanding of what a day in a nurse 麻豆精品 S檚 life is like, 麻豆精品 S� she says.
Floyd, like Meeks, was welcomed as part of the team at Orlando Health. In addition to providing patient care with her preceptor, Floyd participated in team huddles, morning reports, charting, and spoke with other healthcare providers about her patients 麻豆精品 S� care.
麻豆精品 S淚n the DEU, I truly felt like the nurse while taking care of my patients, 麻豆精品 S� Floyd says. 麻豆精品 S淚 was able to really thrive in the trust and relationship I had with my preceptor. 麻豆精品 S�
DEU preceptor Samantha Pearson 麻豆精品 S�21BSN, a nurse on the vascular step-down unit at Orlando Health ORMC, agrees. 麻豆精品 S淭he DEU model is active learning, and the students and preceptors get to rely on each for support for patient care. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淚 am very happy to see this model come to life from the ground up, 麻豆精品 S� says Sarah Rose Thornton 麻豆精品 S�18BSN 麻豆精品 S�21MSN, DEU instructor at Orlando Health. 麻豆精品 S淭his was an amazing opportunity for our students to become a part of a unit. 麻豆精品 S�
Collaborating for the Community
麻豆精品 S淭his first cycle of DEUs was overwhelmingly successful, 麻豆精品 S� says College of Nursing Dean Mary Lou Sole.
麻豆精品 S淲e are incredibly thankful to the teams at both AdventHealth and Orlando Health who invested time and energy to ensure its success, 麻豆精品 S� Sole says. 麻豆精品 S淚t is a true testament to how all of us, at UCF, AdventHealth and Orlando Health, are working together to ensure a brighter, healthier future for our Central Florida communities. 麻豆精品 S�
Orlando Health and AdventHealth have been longstanding supporters of UCF and the College of Nursing. The partnerships have continued to expand and evolve to innovate learning, meet the changing healthcare needs of the community, and help address the nursing shortage.
Most recently, the healthcare systems pledged a combined $10 million to support nursing education at UCF and the new building at Lake Nona. This investment, together with PIPELINE funding, supported the DEU initiative.
DEUs will replace one traditional clinical opportunity for nursing students at UCF Orlando. Based on the launch 麻豆精品 S檚 success, the college is exploring additional opportunities to expand the program in Orlando and at regional campuses.
麻豆精品 S淚 am beyond thankful for this amazing opportunity, 麻豆精品 S� says Meeks, who is expected to graduate in Summer 2024. 麻豆精品 S淚t has helped myself, and other students in this clinical rotation, become more confident, knowledgeable and optimistic for the future as we prepare for our nursing careers. 麻豆精品 S�
