Central New York, like the rest of the country, is facing a nursing shortage that’s only worsened since the pandemic began in 2020. It’s creating healthy competition for nursing schools enrolling students. We're taking a look at what Bryant and Stratton College is doing to meet the demand.
The college’s Liverpool campus has transformed a former pool and spa showroom into a state-of-the-art lab. Dean of Nursing Dr. Kara Evans says the college expanded specifically as a response to the nursing shortage. She said the broader community benefits from nursing programs.
“Part of the curriculum and part of the profession, not only are we uplifting each other, we’re uplifting our community to be healthier community, so we can talk about health promotion and prevention instead of seeing all of the comorbidities that are community may be seeing,” she said.
A simulated lab gives students a preview of real patient care and kinds of health emergencies in a hospital. Lab Coordinator Allison Maliszewski said new robotic patients are programmed with health issues to get students thinking about how they need to respond.
“It’s making it as realistic as possible. So, our mannequins have breath sounds, they have bowel sounds, they have pulses.”
Armed with a stethoscope, nursing student Kaylee McCormick and a robotic patient - she dubbed as Mr. Smith - interact in a simulated respiratory checkup.
“Let’s listen to those lung sounds Mr. Smith,” McCormick said while putting the stethescope to the robot's chest.
“Yes,” the robot replied.
“Give me a deep breath," McCormick instructed.
The robot simulated a jagged cough.
“One more time," she prompted, "Have you had that cough a long time, Mr. Smith?”
“No," the robot answered.
The demonstration was an example of what she and other trainees now have the opportunity to experience first hand.
The college says New York State’s nursing shortage is expected to worsen by 2030. It is one of several nursing programs offered in the area including OCC, Crouse, St. Joseph’s and Upstate University Hospitals and OCM BOCES.