Palliative Care Initiative

Undergraduate faculty who were unaccustomed to online instruction were propelled into a world of distance education by mid-March. With the outstanding support of the college's technology team and faculty already familiar with online teaching, these educators became pros at web platforms such as Collaborate, Panopto, and TurnitIn. Faculty quickly learned that with some minor adjustments, such as providing students with a weekly overview, students could achieve course objectives a week at a time. "The collaborative process in which faculty and students worked together to ensure the ongoing success of our academic programs is commendable," said Felesia Bowen, Ph.D., DNP, APRN, FAAN, assistant dean of undergraduate programs. "The entire college community has been so supportive of our students." Staff also became adept at many online tools they had never used before. For example, the Student Services team began to use Microsoft Teams, a communication and collaboration platform that offers a variety of ways to communicate, such as chat, video meetings, and file collaboration tools, as a way to synchronously connect with other team members other than the traditional email system. Since Teams worked in the workplace, they began using it with enrolled students and prospects to create and keep open lines of communication. Additionally, Student Services designed an online orientation for new ABSN students, host frequent student-faculty townhalls, and continually update FAQ's on the college's website. Even when changes were occurring daily, keeping students informed was critical in alleviating any anxiety regarding their education during this unprecedented time. The college continues to be committed to taking bold steps to create an inclusive and quality nursing education model fit for the future.

When the World Health Organization designated 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, nurses rejoiced for the recognition yet had no inkling of how prophetic that designation would soon be. Nurses on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic endlessly provide care and comfort to patients, connecting patients with their families through video chats and FaceTime, and bolster one another's spirits while navigating the myriad health care challenges faced during this unpredictable time. In addition to the many contributions made by nurses to promote a culture of health, the pandemic highlighted ways to improve the health care experience for patients and their families. One thing that has been glaringly apparent over the past few months is equitable access to palliative care. Underserved populations are among the most severely impacted by COVID-19 and have a disproportionately higher number of COVID positive diagnoses and associated deaths. Access to palliative care ensures that a sufficient number of educated clinicians, who are prepared to address the palliative care needs of patients and families, is not only available but are met. A recent study by the S.C. Palliative Care and Quality of Life Study Committee found that nearly 54% of South Carolinians who died in 2018 would likely have been eligible for palliative care. Years before the pandemic spread around the globe, the college began planning a new program that would prepare advanced practice nurses to specialize in care for people with serious illnesses. The college felt it was hugely important that advanced practice nurses could obtain expertise and gain a deeper understanding of the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of patients and families who are living with chronic and serious illnesses. Through a generous gift from the David R. and Margaret Clare Foundation, the College of Nursing developed a Post-master's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Lifespan Palliative Care program that began enrolling students in fall 2020. A first of its kind program in the U.S., this doctoral-level palliative care track will meet the growing palliative care needs locally, nationally, and globally by increasing the number of advanced practice nurses it puts into the workforce. "We are preparing advanced practice nurses who will provide evidence-based and compassionate care across the health continuum, from the point of diagnosis of a serious or life-limiting condition through supportive end-of-life care," said Carrie Cormack, DNP, APRN, lead faculty for palliative care education in the College of Nursing. This program could not have come at a better time. Amid so much suffering due to the pandemic, palliative care nurses have been given an incredible opportunity to help and serve others while giving patients and family members an added layer of support that they so badly need these days.