(upbeat music) - [Woman] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

- [Man] "Now That's a Good Question with Phil Oldham" was produced under an agreement with Tennessee Tech.

- You can't predict the future but you can count on Tennessee Tech always putting students first.

Our faculty, staff, and students have shown strength, compassion, patience and kindness, during these trying times.

I'm a college president.

And Kari and I are also the proud parents of a Tennessee Tech student.

We want every student to be treated as we want our own son to be treated.

We understand today's challenges and put the focus on student success.

For us it's personal.

That's what you can count on at Tennessee Tech.

(upbeat music) Hello, I'm Phil Oldham, President Tennessee Tech University.

And welcome to "Now That's a Good Question".

A show devoted to asking good questions.

It said that a picture's worth a thousand words.

This show is devoted to exploring the notion that a good question is worth at least a hundred answers.

Today, we're gonna be talking about the worst global pandemic in the last 100 years.

COVID-19.

And we're joined by Dr. Kim Hanna, professor and Dean of the School of Nursing, Whitson-Hester School of Nursing here at Tennessee Tech.

And then after the break, we'll be joined by Leigh Ann Ray, the director of the J.J. Oakley Student Health Center at Tennessee Tech.

First, let me welcome Dean Hanna.

Kim, thank you for being with us today.

You've been at Tennessee Tech now for 31 years.

- Yes I have been.

(laughs) - As a professor in nursing and now Dean of the School of Nursing, the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing.

That's a tremendous responsibility, certainly.

And you've got a lot of experience that brings to that.

So that's wonderful.

Thank you for joining me today.

First of all, tell me a little bit about the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing.

- Well, thank you for having me.

I so appreciate being here.

I just want to say that we are gonna be celebrating 40 years of graduates next year.

The school was established in 1980 and we had our first graduates in 1982.

We graduated 27 back then.

And then now we're graduating over like 193 graduates in 2020.

- Wow.

- So we're really excited.

- Is that a pretty normal number for you?

- Yeah, that's a pretty normal number.

We had a little bit more master students last year to graduate from our new masters program.

So yes.

- The school offers degrees at various levels, right?

- Yes.

Yes.

We have a master's degree that offers three concentrations, education, administration, and family nurse practitioner.

Then we have the joint DNP program which offers six concentrations and five of those are nurse practitioners in various specialties with one also being administration and another one being psych mental health.

- So and now at the bachelor's level, you have sort of normal track for students, but you have some other tracks as well, right?

- Right.

The traditional track, which we started back in 1980 and then the accelerated is with students who have a previous degree.

And so we started that in the last several years and they start in the summer and they graduate the following summer.

- Okay, so basically anybody interested in nursing that there's a opportunity for you through the school here from bachelor's degree through doctoral studies.

- Right.

And we do have our RN to BSN program which has associate degree nurses that come back to get their bachelor's.

So we have that as well.

- That's tremendous.

- I've always noted that nurses, for large part, stay pretty close, for their career, they stay pretty close, regionally, to where they got their degree.

Do you find that to be true?

- I find that to be true back when I came to teach here.

They were going to Nashville and different places but they like to stay close to home and they love Cookeville regional and they love Cookeville.

So they are staying here more so.

- So it really is important for a region to have access to good nursing programs and production of nurses.

- [Kim] Yes.

- That's tremendous.

So, you know, this is clearly a incredibly difficult year that we've encountered with the COVID-19 pandemic.

How's that affected the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing and educating nurses in this kind of environment?

- Well, because nursing is different and you know that, and not only do what I call didactic classes or lecture classes, they do clinical.

And so it's very difficult.

And so back when the pandemic started, a lot of our agencies closed down and we couldn't have not closed down but closed down to us having a clinical with them.

And so we were not allowed to take students into clinical.

And then the whole university shut down.

So it was very difficult.

The other thing that we also noted that was difficult with our graduate students, we really struggled with, should we put them out there?

Because they come from different geographical areas.

And if they're working in a geographical area and come to do their clinical in our area, what does that mean?

- Right.

For bringing in and exposing with the virus?

So we had to deal with that with our students.

For clinical, we have learned that we can do virtual clinical.

And we can do that with our undergraduate students but we can't do that with our graduate students due to accreditation reasons.

- Right.

So we were able to do virtual clinical and work through various a sundry clinical judgment, virtual simulations, et cetera.

And doing that online as well.

So that was very important.

And we even had some faculty that came in and filmed what they were doing in the simulation so that students could have that.

- So I guess, first of all, what's your feeling about how the students have fared under these kinds of conditions?

- I think they have fared well.

Students, our nursing students are flexible, they're motivated.

We have very strong students.

And one of the indicators that says we have done a great job or they have done a great job is that we had 99% on our NCLEX pass rates.

- That's phenomenal.

- In 2020, the year of the pandemic.

- And just so everybody understands that's a professional exam that graduates have to take before they practice.

- To be a registered nurse, yes.

- So 99% pass rate, that's pretty exceptional.

- That's phenomenal.

- Yeah, so they've evidently done well.

Are there lessons that have been learned through this challenging time that you think will carry over?

- Yes, I think we've learned, as I said, that we can do clinicals online.

We can think outside the box.

We can teach our students online.

And I think for us we were already had some online experience.

Our faculty did, so that was better.

But then to put the whole BSN program online was very challenging.

- It had to be challenging.

- It had to be challenging.

But we did those things.

And so, or the faculty did those things and we have a tremendous faculty and staff.

And so we were able to do some of those things and that was very helpful.

- Yeah, so I'm just curious from a student's perspective and maybe it's hard for you to put yourself in their position.

But do you think they have learned something by studying nursing at this unique time in world history?

- I think they have and I think that as the faculty have put things online and incorporated, they've had to incorporate COVID in just about every course.

Because it affects every, you know, organ system, cardiac, pulmonary.

It affects pediatrics, it affects all the other specialty areas.

So we've had to pull that into the curriculum.

The other thing that we have learned is that, you know, it is stressful.

What can we do to help these students?

And so thinking about stepping back and saying, what are they going through as well?

Because again, we have to think of the student.

And as you know, university students have been very stressed over this.

If it's not something that they may be afraid because again, our students have to go into clinical and we did go into clinical this past fall and spring but they could be afraid of getting it.

They've had family members to get it.

We've even had some that have had family members to die.

In addition to that, financially and economically, many of their parents were struggling financially, may have lost jobs.

Then they lost jobs or lost extra income part-time jobs.

So very stressful.

I think that they are flexible.

I think that they are very motivated.

And I do think that they have learned a lot.

I know that when the tornado hit, our students volunteered, they went to blood banks, they organized, they assisted with the tornado, they assisted with helping with, you know, food banks and that kind of thing.

And they did a tremendous job.

- It's true.

It takes a certain kind of individual to really want to be a nurse, doesn't it?

- It does.

It does.

- Yeah, I mean pretty selfless people.

That's been my experience.

- Yeah.

- But it's gotta be an interesting thing to...

I'm sure you have a course or something in public health, I guess.

- Yes.

Yes.

- So, you know, it's one thing to read about, you know, major worldwide epidemics, you know, in a textbook or the history of it but to be living it at the time you're studying healthcare, that's gotta be unique.

- It is.

And our students in the Community Health, I'm glad you mentioned that, they had excellent opportunity.

One of the things that we were concerned about and I know talking with Leigh Ann Ray, just the concern of helping them and helping us to get the students acclimated and then also offer help to them assistance wise.

And so we were able to, hired two adjuncts to take a clinical group into their clinic to help them with being...

They got certified as contact tracers so that they could help.

I had a graduate student that did the same thing that helped with health education the past summer.

Another graduate student who worked with the Tennessee Department of Health and that graduate student also works in Health Services.

So it was amazing the actually on the grounds and how much they could assist at that time and how much they assisted Health Services, but as well, they were learning.

- Sort of the ultimate definition of real world experience.

- Yes.

Yes.

- In it trial by fire.

I guess.

So they've got to be really well prepared once they get out of here.

So, you know, an obvious question I think that everybody has and I don't know that you have a crystal ball, but just curious, what do you think the next six to 12 months is gonna look like for us, this pandemic?

- Okay.

We know, what's the name of this program?

- That's a good question.

(laughing) That's right.

- That's a great question.

I wished I had a crystal ball.

I think that again, more and more people are getting vaccinated.

We have two vaccines and then there'll be another one coming out shortly.

The other thing is that more and more people have gotten it.

And then futuristically, you know, the things that we don't know.

And the things that we don't know are how long is their immunity, et cetera.

- Right.

- So if I had a crystal ball, then I would use it.

But since I don't I have to pray really hard that those things work.

And then also going forward thinking about, you know, what can we do now?

And one of the things that we just need to look and do is just be diligent and not getting weary.

- [Phil] Yeah.

- And so I know you've always mentioned about how eagle soar.

- That's right.

- And so we've got to soar in that way and not get weary and look to the hope.

- But it is hopeful at this point.

- It is hopeful at this point.

The numbers are down.

And so we haven't, they could be down for various reasons like the vaccines and then people have not been gathering.

So hopefully if we can get the numbers down and get people vaccinated then I think that would be helpful.

- That's tremendous.

Everybody looks forward to that.

- [Kim] Yes.

- Well, thank you, Kim, for being with me today.

Stay with us, after the break we'll be joined by Leigh Ann Ray to talk about how she manages Health Services here at Tennessee Tech in the middle of a global pandemic.

(upbeat music) Welcome back to "Now That's a Good Question".

I'm joined now and I'm excited to have Leigh Ann Ray with us for this segment.

Leigh Ann has served as a director of Health services here at Tennessee Tech for 10 years now.

In her career, however, as a family nurse practitioner, she's practiced in emergency medicine and public health and has an extensive background in nursing.

So Leigh Ann, thank you for being with us today.

You've been sort of at the center of the storm this year.

You know, to say that this is a unusual year is a gross understatement, I think, being in the worst global pandemic in a hundred years.

First of all, let me just ask, how have you and your staff fared under these conditions?

- We've done well.

First of all, thank you for having me today.

It's been challenging year to say the least.

We have a very exceptional staff and we have tried to support each other throughout the year, any way we can.

We have, you know, I've had tremendous family support, support from my friends, colleagues, and we all, you know, you just, I think nurses, in general, are that way.

We recognize when somebody is having a bad day and, you know, we feed each other.

- Yeah, that's good.

- We laugh, we cry together.

We, you know, we talk through everything and we meet regularly as a team and just try to work things out.

- So most people don't realize I don't think that a university the size of Tennessee Tech is sort of like a small city, isn't it?

I mean, 10,000 students, a couple thousand more employees, staff.

So a fairly significant population that you're helping take care of.

How's it going on campus this year?

- It's going really well.

Better than I expected to be honest with you.

- [Phil] Yeah.

- We were able, we worked very hard in different planning groups, you know, across campus all last spring and summer to make sure that we could provide a safe environment for the students.

We were able to procure testing supplies to do rapid testing for symptomatic individuals who would need testing on campus.

You know, we've worked with academics, we've worked with housing, dining.

It's been a true cooperative effort.

- You interact with external partners a lot too, right?

- Yes, sir.

I have dealt with local public health, regional public health, the state Department of Health, the CDC and the federal government, all in procuring resources and testing.

- So, by all accounts, it has gone pretty well under the circumstances.

Just curious, you know, sort of in the hindsight, now, other than the things that you've already mentioned, all the work and and great people that we have, what do you think, what would you tribute to be able to kind of continue fairly normal operations this year?

- I think that, I have to even repeat some of the things that I just said.

But we, the university, and the administration was invested in having students on ground 'cause that's what students were wanting.

And so the resources were put in place to increase our service staff so that we were able to see students and staff and faculty who were sick, the day they needed to be seen.

We were able to do testing in collaboration with the local health department.

We were able to do our own contact tracing.

- That was pretty significant, wasn't it?

- Yes, that's a seven day a week job.

We were able to house, in quarantine, or isolation students who had tested positive for COVID or who had been exposed to a positive case.

And they were able to remain in the residence house.

- What was your experience with the students through all this?

How did they react?

How did they respond?

- It's amazing how resilient the students have been.

They, you know, everybody did what we asked.

From answering the phone to coming in for testing, if they needed testing.

You know, it's one thing that I noticed that I wasn't expecting quite as much was the huge impact on the mental health that isolation and quarantine can cause.

And so we, you know, as a part of that, we developed different plans through student affairs.

We've developed a web page for students in isolation and quarantine that has all the available resources from exercise videos to how to order your meals.

- [Phil] Right.

- And those I think have really helped the students.

You know, there were processes, things we have had to change, add to, or, you know, just change.

- Right.

- Because we noticed that, you know, for example, students were getting the food they needed but we didn't realize, you know, they didn't necessarily have a case of water to take with them when they went to isolation.

So we worked with dining services and to provide extra hydration for the students.

- So we started getting into this almost a year ago now and really knew almost nothing about what to expect, right?

- Correct, yes.

- Is that a fair statement?

So sort of looking back now, based on what we've learned, what do you wish you would've known then that you know now?

- I think that, so I've always wanted to know the answer to the question before I was asked the question.

- Sure.

- And I haven't known that this year.

(Phil laughs) I wish I had known all the answers.

- Yeah.

- I wish I had that crystal ball.

- Well, none of us had gone through this before.

- None.

- And there was no script, right?

- Correct.

- You couldn't look this up in a book somewhere.

- And the guidance changed so frequently.

- Right.

- And it's been a true learning process, a lot of research, a lot of just changes, you know.

And we'll have a process and the guidance will change.

And so we have to work through that, change the process, adjust.

And that's going back to the students, that's another thing, is unbelievable how they've adjusted.

- It's interesting 'cause in a sense, for our society, our whole vocabulary has changed.

I mean, it's almost like we've all taken a crash course in virology and we all understand about testing more now than we ever did before, and different kinds of treatment or vaccines, and how vaccines are produced.

So what are some things that you think you and your staff will take out of this that could help you in the future?

- I definitely think it's like when you were talking to Dean Hanna earlier, with the public health side, you can read about it in the books.

And you can, you know, for years, they've, you know, with infectious diseases, you've mask, you've glove.

But it really has changed our whole process of seeing patients in the clinic.

And we are so much more aware of, you know, the proper PPE that we wear.

We're so much more aware of symptoms of the students.

Have taken a good history of their illness and what's been going on.

- So do you have, were there any surprises?

Any surprises that you, things that you thought, "Oh, I never thought that would happen?"

- Yes.

- That you can, maybe you can say.

(laughing) - Well, one of the things that I really have been and I go back to the students.

I've dealt a lot with the student athletes this past year.

And they have gone through so much rigorous testing, just the different guidelines that they've had to follow.

And I just can't believe.

I mean, they show up at 6:30 in the morning for testing and they're much better frame of mind and mood than I'm in.

And it really just surprises me.

- Just how resilient we are.

- Exactly, the things that they've done and gone through in order to be able to compete.

- One thing that sort of surprised me, I guess a little bit, or may a lot of people, you know, we had some worries early last year about, okay, we're going to be having a upsurge in COVID cases at the same time when this typical seasonal flu coming around.

But we really haven't seen any seasonal flu like normal this year, right?

- No, I've just had a few random cases last semester and this semester.

We think that's contributed to the masking, the social distancing, you know, the influenza is a respiratory virus.

So those things have cut down on transmission.

Less travel, less social gatherings.

And then the other thing is more people were vaccinated this year.

- [Phil] Right.

- On canvas, we actually vaccinated four times the amount of people that we normally vaccinate.

- That's tremendous.

So well, that's a good thing that seasonal flu has not been the normal problem on top of this.

So you know, I'll finish up with the same question I asked Dean Hanna, do you have a crystal ball?

What do you think the next six to 12 months are gonna look like?

- I wish I did.

But I'm very optimistic.

I think things are going well.

I think that we're proving that our safety guidelines are slowing down the transmission of COVID.

I'm very optimistic for the vaccine.

- That's great.

I think everybody's ready to get rid of the mask.

- Exactly.

- And have sort of a normal social life again.

- I think we have to be diligent for a while longer.

- Absolutely.

- Masking and social distancing.

- Yeah.

- But I'm looking forward to the time when-- - Well, thank you for being with me today and thank you and your staff for the wonderful job you do every day here at Tennessee Tech, keeping our students healthy.

So it's great to talk to you today, Leigh Ann.

- Thank you.

- So I wanna thank Dean Hanna, and Leigh Ann Ray for being with us today.

I wanna thank the viewers for joining us in this very relevant and timely conversation about COVID-19.

And from Tennessee Tech, good luck and keep your wings up.

Keep asking good questions.

(upbeat music) - [Man] "Now That's a Good Question with Phil Oldham" was produced under an agreement with Tennessee Tech.

- You can't predict the future but you can count on Tennessee Tech always putting students first.

Our faculty, staff, and students have shown strengths, compassion, patience, and kindness, during these trying times.

I'm a college president.

And Kari and I are also the proud parents of a Tennessee Tech student.

We want every student to be treated as we want our own son to be treated.

We understand today's challenges and put the focus on student success.

For us, it's personal.

That's what you can count on at Tennessee Tech.

(upbeat music) - [Woman] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.