ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — UT Permian Basin nursing students may be doing classes virtually these days, but pretty soon they will be getting a hands-on experience like no other.
That is thanks to a decision made by the Ector County Commissioners Court on Monday.
Commissioners voted to partner with UTPB’s nursing department to help tackle COVID-19.
“This is a communitywide event, this is not an event that’s just occurring at a campus, the city or the county." Debi Hays, Ector County judge said. "So partnerships with our community, the university, hospitals are essential.”
The judge reached out to UTPB's nursing school to see if students could help the county health department investigate positive COVID-19 cases, including who that person may have come into contact with in the days leading up to the diagnosis.
“There won’t be any human interaction in regards to going out to the community but they will make those phone calls," Diana Ruiz, UTPB nursing professor said. "They'll determine if people have been exposed and then provide guidance if an individual has been exposed.”
The clinical experience is going to offer something that can not be taught in a classroom.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to replicate this for any other group to this extent," Ruiz said. "It’s relevant, it’s real, it is impactful to our community, it will make a difference in people's lives."
Ruiz says there are many different areas that the clinical will touch on that relates to the student's curriculum.
"Things like ethics, mental health, epidemiology, public health, it's just a phenomenal experience for our students," Ruiz said.
Ruiz admits she is even a little envious of the learning opportunity her students are about to embark on.
“A lot of us professors have doctorate degrees and we all, to some extent, took an epidemiology course," Ruiz said. "But what we’re experiencing across the world is the epitome of what a public health nurse can contribute."
While classes will remain virtual, this new portion of the course will be in person.
“We are having them come in small groups of 5 at a time and they will train with the epidemiologist and the nurse on-site at the health department,” Ruiz said.
With more and more COVID-19 cases being confirmed, the county is not wasting any time getting these students trained.
15 nursing students will get trained Thursday and will start helping on Friday.