Amid ongoing challenges across the healthcare workforce, including burnout and shortages, the University of Cincinnati is working to tackle this issue through a program that embeds UC students into clinical settings.
Students are embedded as patient care assistants, offering nurses support, providing more than 11,000 hours of hands-on care and working to help shape the next generation of healthcare workers.
Becker’s connected with Arthur Pancioli, MD, senior vice president and chief clinical officer of UC Health, professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine and one of the course creators, to discuss how the program, dubbed Healthcare Exploration in Patient Care, is strengthening UC Health’s workforce, improving patient outcomes, and expanding into new clinical specialties — all while transforming students’ career paths.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: How has the Healthcare Exploration in Patient Care course influenced UC Health’s strategy for addressing workforce shortages across your system?
Dr. Arthur Pancioli: This program has helped to provide patient care assistants, on our nursing units, to support our nurses at the bedside. They have helped to fill a need to the organization, as well as provide them an experience to help guide their futures. The relationship we’ve created between the [program] and the units has been invaluable to the care of our patients and families.
Q: What measurable effects have you seen from integrating UC students as patient care assistants in terms of both staffing support and patient outcomes?
AP: We have had over 670 student semesters and 400 unique individuals of HCEs in our health system, totaling over 11,000 hours of direct patient care. We have also retained 80 of them into permanent positions over the last three years, with the majority leaving employment to pursue graduate-level medical programs, including medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy and others.
Q: How do you see this program shaping long-term workforce development at UC Health, and are there plans to expand it to other clinical areas or specialties?
AP: We have started expanding it into allied health areas: radiology, laboratory, respiratory therapy and rehabilitation, as well as pharmacy and research. We have also expanded locations, from ambulatory clinics to our West Chester Township, Ohio-based West Chester Hospital.
Q: What advice do you have for other systems looking to implement similar courses?
AP: Getting to “yes” is never easy. However, with patience and perseverance, as well as system partners, from nurses, to physicians, to administrators, it can be done. These students are the future of healthcare, and by providing them this immersive clinical experience, we are helping to change their lives. We started with 40 students our first semester of the program and will have over 140 students this summer. The growth and success of the program has been a team effort and will continue to be for semesters and years to come!
