Will Grayson, who will graduate with his Bachelor of Science in Nursing in May 2021, was in his pediatric rotation at the hospital when his clinical group learned 鶹Ƶ would transition to remote learning last spring. Grayson said the switch to online courses was not overly stressful as an upperclassmen nursing student as the majority of his lectures were already virtual. Online clinical and fully online simulations, however, took some getting used to.
“Early on, we did a bunch of patient case study papers,” remembered Grayson. “During my Community Health rotation, we had an online synchronous zoom call one day where we gave a presentation to residents of Alliance Towers, an assisted living facility in Alliance, OH. This was an experience we would have had regardless of the pandemic but having to do it online was challenging to get eight people to virtually present at the same time.”
Although everything was different from what he expected to do in clinical, Grayson expressed his gratitude to his faculty. “I personally feel like I'm learning just as much as I would have otherwise. The nursing faculty has done a really great job keeping us on track by providing standardized patients for case studies to help us to learn the things we would have in real life; we're just doing it from our own homes now.”
One of the biggest challenges Grayson faced at the onset of Ohio’s spring 2020 lockdown was having a designated quiet place to study. “I share a little townhome with four other guys. At that time, I didn't have a desk in my room, so I was sitting at our kitchen table trying to do school and would constantly get interrupted,” he recalled. “I had to reevaluate how I studied. Before the pandemic, I would meet my classmates at the library, and we would quiz each other before exams. It was definitely an adjustment trying to stay connected with our study group over zoom or FaceTime.”
To stay motivated and engaged in an online learning environment, Grayson found he needs a definitive line between his school life and personal life. “Making a dedicated workstation was so important. If I'm sitting down at my desk, I know it's time to get work done,” said Grayson. “I thrive when I have stability. Creating a block schedule with specific times where I complete schoolwork helped. It can get monotonous when you are in your room doing the same thing all day, every day.”
A typical day for Grayson when he’s not attending clinical, begins with two hours of studying, followed by breakfast and another two-hour study block. He kicks off the afternoon with a break before his third session of studying, after which he completes an at-home workout. “I get the majority of my work done in the morning because that is when I am most productive,” explained Grayson. “I incorporate time for relaxation in the evenings. When the lockdown began, I had an unhealthy mindset that I had to get everything done and be super productive all day long. I neglected to incorporate time to relax so now it is a priority.”
Taking exams from home has also been an adjustment for Grayson. “Normally I’d be in a big lecture hall with my friends. As for the test, you get used to doing them a certain way, and now taking them at home you have to be mindful of different variables such as roommates or pets,” described Grayson. “Before the exam, you have to scan your student ID and do a 360-degree video tour of the room around you with the laptop. It is quite the process before you even see the first question.”
While the school workload has remained the same, Grayson points out he’s still had to learn to be adaptive. “Can I get really deep for a second? Having the ability to adapt is essential to the profession of nursing. I think as students in nursing school adapting to the online deliverance of our significant workload is a testament to the type of nurse we will be one day,” Grayson said. “We will have to adapt to whatever unit we work on. So, I see this experience as a learning opportunity, the workload is still the same, we just might have to work a little bit harder to compensate.”
Grayson has noticed the pandemic has led to a diminished feeling of personal connection to others during his last year at the university. “I don't know my instructors or classmates as well as I did in person,” admits Grayson. “I think that's one of the biggest things, as far as what's changed with education this past year. Obviously, the delivery of material is a little bit different, but it's really the lack of person-to-person connection.”
During the ongoing transitions of the past year, Grayson acknowledged many people are combating emotions they may not have previously experienced. “Society, in general, is trending towards the practice of being openly vulnerable and talking about mental health,” Grayson shared. “I've had my struggles in the past with issues, even before the pandemic, and the number one thing that helps me is talking about it with family and friends I feel safe confiding in. I always feel better once I have let them know how I am feeling.”
As for his own support system, Grayson expressed his gratitude for his parents, who are there to listen to him ramble about school and his new-found hobbies. Grayson’s girlfriend, a fellow senior in the nursing program, has also been his rock. “She has been going through the same experiences, so we tackle a lot of these new challenges together,” said Grayson. Finally, he could not overstate the importance of close friendships. “In my class, there's a group of 20 male nursing students and we’ve formed a tight-knit bond over the years. We frequently talk about what is going on in the world. It's important to have a group where you can kind of let those feelings out, whether it be frustration, happiness, or concern for how you did on a test.”
As clinicals have returned to in-person, Grayson said the faculty and students are making it work with new safety regulations. “We wear masks and goggles in every room. Other than how we dress, clinicals haven't changed much,” he remarked. “I'm thankful we still get to do our clinical rotations. They are obviously one of the biggest portions of our education. It is invaluable to us as students to be in a hospital going through the motions.”
Facing a global pandemic as a nursing student has made Grayson extremely excited for his future in nursing. “This is what I signed up for and I am eager to help in some way,” he exclaimed. “As a nurse, I have decided to pursue a career helping people. That's the biggest thing for me. I'm excited to do my part.”
Thinking to the end of the semester, Grayson expressed his appreciation for the 鶹Ƶ College of Nursing community. “I love this school, even during a pandemic. I have met some of the best people in the past couple years. The long-lasting friendships and faculty connections I've made, along with the opportunities I've had to work on faculty research and be a nursing student social media ambassador have just been incredible.”
Following graduation this spring, Grayson hopes to work in an Emergency Department or trauma unit. “I have always preferred a faster-paced environment and making decisions on the fly,” he said excitedly. “You really have to know your stuff because every decision you make in those situations really counts. I want the chance to exercise skills many bedside nurses wouldn’t necessarily experience day-to-day.”
To future nursing students, Grayson has one piece of advice. “Do the work. Attend your classes. Stick with it. I promise you, it will absolutely be worth it in the end. Looking back now at all the long hours I spent in the library has led me to this moment. I am beyond thrilled to be able to start my career soon!”