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PITTSBURG —
Pittsburg State University’s newest crop of nursing students used competition to learn how to safely transport patients and their IV pulls Thursday morning.
The participated in the first annual Nursing Safety and Mobility Olympics, an event designed by instructor Kristi Frisbee and assistant professor Amy Hite, who co-teach the program’s Techniques in Nursing class. The Olympics weren’t overly complex. Bu they were fun, which helps to imprint the importance of being safe while transporting patients.
“We thought we’d do some more interactive,” Hite said. “It took a lot of work to get all the supplies, but it went really well.”
Here’s how the games went down. The 76 students — that’s the maximum number the program can enroll — were divided by their clinical trials groups into eight teams. With names such as the HIPAApotamuses, I.V. Leaguers and Cardiac Kids, they raced in heats of two teams. One member of each team was designated as a patient, one as the wheelchair attendant and a third as the I.V. puller.
The goal was to safely transport the patient over a certain distance, help him or her safely up and into a walker, and continue 25 feet to the finish line. The members who weren’t part of the race stayed involved by hula hooping and jumping rope.
The teams judged on safety technique rather than speed, Hite said. But the instinct to win took over for a few teams.
“Some of them were disqualified for carrying the I.V. pullers,” Hite laughed. “They have to stay in contact with the ground at all times.”
The teams were awarded points in the race, which will be added to points they receive in academic competitions between the trials groups, and tallied at the end of the semester. The process, Hite said, fits into PSU’s course redesign initiative, which was conceived to examine how to best engage students in learning environments. Course redesign focuses on six core principals, including understanding how students learn best; re-evaluating the role of the teacher; depth versus surface learning; engaging students; implementing technology; and infusing assessment strategies.
Melody Nelson, a first-year nursing student from Girard who was on the HIPPApotamuses team, said she wanted to be a nurse since she was a kid. She said she thinks the Olympics were a good idea.
“It’s nice that they’re changing it up so we can have fun,” Nelson said. “And it’s important to know how to keep the patient safe. If you don’t co-ordinate your care, you’re putting the patient at risk and you’re putting the staff at risk.”
Nelson said she had a good time during the games.
“There were a lot of laughs seeing the I.V. pulls tipping over,” she said. “It was a good time.”
Pittsburg State University’s newest crop of nursing students used competition to learn how to safely transport patients and their IV pulls Thursday morning.
The participated in the first annual Nursing Safety and Mobility Olympics, an event designed by instructor Kristi Frisbee and assistant professor Amy Hite, who co-teach the program’s Techniques in Nursing class. The Olympics weren’t overly complex. Bu they were fun, which helps to imprint the importance of being safe while transporting patients.
“We thought we’d do some more interactive,” Hite said. “It took a lot of work to get all the supplies, but it went really well.”
Here’s how the games went down. The 76 students — that’s the maximum number the program can enroll — were divided by their clinical trials groups into eight teams. With names such as the HIPAApotamuses, I.V. Leaguers and Cardiac Kids, they raced in heats of two teams. One member of each team was designated as a patient, one as the wheelchair attendant and a third as the I.V. puller.
The goal was to safely transport the patient over a certain distance, help him or her safely up and into a walker, and continue 25 feet to the finish line. The members who weren’t part of the race stayed involved by hula hooping and jumping rope.
The teams judged on safety technique rather than speed, Hite said. But the instinct to win took over for a few teams.
“Some of them were disqualified for carrying the I.V. pullers,” Hite laughed. “They have to stay in contact with the ground at all times.”
The teams were awarded points in the race, which will be added to points they receive in academic competitions between the trials groups, and tallied at the end of the semester. The process, Hite said, fits into PSU’s course redesign initiative, which was conceived to examine how to best engage students in learning environments. Course redesign focuses on six core principals, including understanding how students learn best; re-evaluating the role of the teacher; depth versus surface learning; engaging students; implementing technology; and infusing assessment strategies.
Melody Nelson, a first-year nursing student from Girard who was on the HIPPApotamuses team, said she wanted to be a nurse since she was a kid. She said she thinks the Olympics were a good idea.
“It’s nice that they’re changing it up so we can have fun,” Nelson said. “And it’s important to know how to keep the patient safe. If you don’t co-ordinate your care, you’re putting the patient at risk and you’re putting the staff at risk.”
Nelson said she had a good time during the games.
“There were a lot of laughs seeing the I.V. pulls tipping over,” she said. “It was a good time.”
