Imagine going to a hospital. Now, try to think of a person who works there. Did you think of a nurse?
Many people tend to associate health facilities with nurses (or vice versa), and for a good reason. Nurses (CNAs, LVNs, or RNs alike) are those who stay with us for the majority of the time that we spend in the hospital. And they are responsible for many skill-based procedures that range from something as simple as giving meds (through our mouths, IVs, skin, or muscle) to working with complicated machines—all to stay true to their oath, which is to save lives.
And such is the reason why a lot of people pursue the noble profession of nursing. But aside from being given the privilege to touch people’s lives, nursing is highly in demand everywhere, and the career options that it offers are perfect for all sorts of personalities! But with the COVID-19 pandemic happening, it is safe to say that even the best Nursing Schools in the world found themselves facing setbacks in one way or another. And fast-forward to 2021, we can see that all sorts of modalities were used to keep nursing students learning despite restrictions.
Take the Philippines, for example. The country is dubbed the “largest exporter of nurses worldwide,” which probably puts a load of pressure on its nursing schools to keep up. And since lockdown started (circa March 2019), remote learning has swiftly become the norm despite protests wherein students call for a temporary halt in education, which was called the ‘Academic Freeze’ movement on Twitter. Regardless, classes and everything that came with it—and it’s a LOT (return demonstrations, exams, case studies, case presentations, research)—had to be done virtually.
And looking past the first couple of months into online nursing school, which were filled with head scratches and genuine confusion on some professors’ end while they teach themselves technology and related software despite old age (bless their hearts). Some even had their children ready to assist them in the middle of a class in case they needed help with screen sharing. I can say the experience is okay at best—since I can’t help but resent the pandemic for stripping us some of nursing’s most unique moments, like being able to work in the community as a CHN. Fortunately, with vaccination drives happening in all parts of the country, going back to school is becoming a reality, albeit slowly. Some universities have even started on-campus learning again.
But looking at the brighter side of things, studying from home allows us to spend a little more of our time with those who truly matter to us. The pandemic has given us a chance to reprioritize our time and energy since it is so easy to get lost under a pile of readings, projects, and stuff. And to waste no moment in letting our loved ones know that we love and cherish them despite all odds.
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