This fall, the University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore plans to welcome its first full class of nursing students for a program that puts them at patients' bedside for one 12-hour shift per week.
The university's Academy of Clinical Essentials initiative assigns cohorts to hospital units for the duration of their clinical course. Four nursing students are paired with a nurse — who is funded by the university — at their assigned hospital, working a full 12-hour shift each week, according to an Aug. 23 news release.
"This is a significant opportunity for nursing students to get a realistic clinical experience, be immersed in clinical care for a full shift, and have accountability for patients from the beginning of their shift until handing off to the oncoming nurses at the end of their shift," said Dr. Lisa Rowen, RN, chief nurse executive at UMMS.
The Academy of Clinical Essentials program was piloted in the spring, and is believed to be the first program of its kind in the country. More than 30 cohorts with more than 120 students are planned for the fall semester.
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