Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare workers have been regarded as heroes. Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals put their health and safety at risk every day to keep treating patients and prioritize the health of others.
Ohio University nurses watch these healthcare workers every day, and are itching to fight through the pandemic with them.
Brooke West, president of OU’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing organization, or BSNO, has worked closely with her executive board to make sure their members are doing everything they can to contribute from the sidelines.
“We were thinking about calling off the organization for this semester, but then we thought this could be a good opportunity to be helping our community and making a difference, considering we all want to be nurses,” West, a junior, said.
The organization works on a point system, where each member has to get a certain number of points each semester. The executive board kept this system in mind while making a list to inspire members to get involved in their hometowns in exchange for points toward their organization.
One way to earn points is through making face masks for local hospitals or long-term care facilities. Every five face masks earns the member one point, and there’s no limit on how many they can make due to the large demand around the country for face masks.
Another opportunity to earn points is to participate in the BSNO video series. Members can contribute by sending in a video or photograph, or by making their own video and posting it on social media with the hashtag #BSNOCallToAction.
The executive board is using the point system to encourage connection among their hometowns and fellow members as well. If members write an email, letter or social media post to a healthcare worker, first responder or state official thanking them for their hard work throughout the pandemic, they can earn two points. Members can also earn points by reaching out to other classmates and checking up on them.
Katie Schweppe, junior and vice president of BSNO organization, feels these opportunities kill two birds with one stone by being service-oriented and educational, all while staying home and using their nursing backgrounds to their advantage.
“We kind of just decided to focus on what we do have control over during this time of need with our country,” Schweppe said. “We decided to focus on just a couple of aspects like spreading positivity, providing education on the importance of staying home and all the stuff we can do with our nursing background.”
Other opportunities for points include attending a live stream of “Because I Said I Would,” a video by a non-profit foundation started by OU alumni, Alex Sheen, attending a Google Hangout with a resident at Kimes, the nursing and rehabilitation center in Athens and participating in any other service project that helps out or spreads positivity.
West, Schweppe and the rest of the executive board know the real motivation isn’t earning points toward the organization, but rather the opportunity to do everything in their power to help those in need.
“I work at an assisted living facility, so I’m still kind of helping out, but I wish I was in a hospital setting doing more to help the situation,” West said. “I just see all these nurses working long shifts, like 24-hour shifts, and 20% of healthcare workers are getting sick and can’t work and I just feel kind of useless, like I could be doing something.”
Cameron McCay, a sophomore in charge of alumni engagement of BSNO, feels nursing programs should do more to prepare students for major pandemics like this. From her experience and from what she’s heard from people who are currently in the field, there could’ve been more preparation.
“I think it’s important because it’s definitely going to happen again,” McCay said. “It’s happened all throughout history, and it’s just something that’s going to continue to happen. We need to be prepared because you never really know what’s going to happen and how quickly it’s going to happen.”
McCay believes this experience is a good lesson for people who are still in school because they went from having a fun spring break to being quarantined, and this is a perfect example of how quickly major life events can happen and change everything.
Though these women in the program can’t be on the front lines fighting off the pandemic, they believe that every little effort can add up to make a big difference. One of the smallest ways they feel they can help is by staying strong and sticking together as an organization through this tough time.
“Our mission is really service to our community and those around us,” Schweppe said. “Especially in this time of need, whether it’s emotionally, financially or even just a lack of education, I think part of who we are as student nurses, we have the ability to share what we know with others, and just really do the best that we can while we are still students.”
