by Cliff Fawcett, D.N.P.
Early in the spring semester of 2020, we started to hear about a new disease caused by the SARS CoV2 virus — a novel coronavirus. Within weeks it became obvious that Cedarville University and the School of Nursing was going to have to figure out a way to take care of our faculty, staff, and students and somehow continue our mission of preparing student-nurses to use nursing as a ministry for Jesus Christ. Through God’s grace, we were able to navigate all the challenges and make it to graduation at the end of the academic year.
As summer 2020 progressed, we began trying to make plans for the fall semester and having students return to campus with the pandemic still ongoing. It seemed there were far more questions than answers. Conditions and parameters changed almost daily. We entered the fall semester trusting the Lord for wisdom to make good decisions and mercy to help us in time of need. Students returned to a transformed Cedarville University campus. Chapel was moved outdoors and online to make it accessible for everyone while honoring the precautions laid out in the “Caring Well. Staying well.” plan. Outdoor chapels provided amazing worship experiences, and students demonstrated their commitment to doing everything they could to complete the fall semester on campus by observing physical distancing and wearing masks when indoors.
Several weeks passed and our concern that COVID-19 would be widespread seemed unjustified. As the semester rolled on, though, cases of COVID-19 started to occur more frequently. As a precaution, every student who had symptoms was tested and placed in isolation until results were available. At the same time, close contacts of isolated students were asked to quarantine in their rooms. Because of the large number of tests that were being done in this area, the capacity of the medical labs was stretched, and test results would often take three to four days to come back. This placed a number of students in the position of not being able to attend class in person. This had been anticipated and the University had ordered a number of technology pieces to facilitate students who would not be able to be in the classroom. But, still, it was a challenge. Some students would be placed in quarantine for three to four days and they would be released, then a few days later would be asked to quarantine again. A junior nursing student, Hannah Gorton, was placed in quarantine twice during the semester. “The first time was only a few days, but the second quarantine lasted a full 14 days. That’s a long time to stay in your room.” It was difficult for students because they never knew from day-to-day whether they would be required to remain in their room for two weeks or go about life as normal.
Added to this stress that all students faced, the nursing students have the additional responsibility of going to clinical experiences at local healthcare facilities. Because nursing students are considered healthcare workers, they were permitted to go to clinical during quarantine as long as they were asymptomatic. Chloe Wassei appreciated this since she was quarantined three times during the semester. “Despite the campus restrictions, it was a huge blessing to have our nursing clinicals and to get that crucial experience in the hospitals.” Through all these challenges, the students maintained a very positive attitude and continued to push forward despite the daily uncertainty. Nursing faculty drew on their creativity to find ways to help a stretched healthcare system during a time of pandemic. Students in community health assisted with COVID testing and with contact tracing and other important nursing roles. Several nursing students became infected by the virus, but all recovered and returned to classes. Grant DeKryger said, “My nursing professors were very gracious about us missing in-person class time.” The students showed amazing integrity by reporting symptoms even when they knew it could mean they would be removed from their residence hall room until test results came back and their friends might be quarantined for two weeks.
Many students shared that they were so happy that the University offered the opportunity to be on campus. Hannah said, “Having to deal with the restrictions that came with COVID, and dealing with 18 days in quarantine … it was all worth it. The majority of the semester was good.” Chloe said “Being on campus this semester was such a huge blessing that I never want to take for granted! I loved being back with our Cedarville community and the ability to have in-person classes. Despite the campus COVID restrictions, we were able to have normalcy in our lives.”
With the extended Christmas break and the promise of a vaccine, we are hopeful that we will be able to keep our plan to resume in-person classes and clinicals in January. We are asking the Lord for grace and mercy to accomplish this, remembering the wisdom of Proverbs 16:9 “The mind of a person plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”
Cliff Fawcett, D.N.P. is an associate professor in the Cedarville University School of Nursing and coordinator of the Family Nurse Practitioner program. He works part time in University Medical Services at Cedarville and brings his firsthand experiences from both settings to this update.
Posted in: COVID-19