Rebel Nursing Notes
UNLV School of Nursing strives to share stories across the nursing profession. From current issues to faculty and student achievements and research, "Rebel Nursing Notes" is here to inform and promote what it means to be a nursing leader.
-
COVID-19 under a microscope. Courtesy: Andrii Vodolazhskyi/Shutterstock.comAug. 6, 2020By Hope Hinchman, MSN, RN (clinical instructor for SON) Infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, susceptible host. For those of you who may not know, this is what the medical world calls the chain of infection. It is how an infectious disease spreads from one person to the next. The concept behind it is simple. Keep the chain... -
Telemedicine is on the rise during the coronavirus pandemic, but it could be used more, especially in places like Southern Nevada. (Image courtesy: JPC-PROD/Shutterstock.com.)Jul. 23, 2020By Joseph Gaccione It isn’t easy finding silver linings during the coronavirus pandemic, but if one were to make a list of potential positives, the prevalence of telehealth would have to be on that list. Although not a brand-new invention, telemedicine - offering medical services and information through electronic and telecommunication means - is helping more people get the...
-
Jul. 16, 2020By Joseph Gaccione Ricardo Nungaray is used to helping people. He works as a security guard at Circus Circus and is a member of The National Guard. Now as a UNLV School of Nursing student, he’s getting more involved in the community. Nungaray recently volunteered to help deliver groceries for seniors living in affordable housing. The volunteer program is called “Golden...
-
Dr. Nirmala Lekhak's study on older adults coping with COVID-19 also puts a spotlight on existing problems this particular population has experienced in recent yearsJul. 1, 2020By Joseph Gaccione and Nirmala Lekhak (Ph.D., RN) There have been many changes associated with the coronavirus pandemic, from rapid health policy adjustments to academic reshuffling, but one constant concern has been COVID-19’s impact on the older adult population. The virus puts older adults at higher risk, especially those with underlying medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes....
-
Jun. 24, 2020By: Minnie Wood (MS, APRN, ANP-BC, Lecturer and Clinical Instructor) Every nurse I know springs into action upon hearing a patient say the words: “I can’t breathe.” Using evidence-based and time-tested strategies, nurses are trained to provide care, comfort and deliver life-saving measures. But what about when not only one Black person—killed with a knee on his neck for almost nine...
-
Jun. 22, 2020By Mitzy Flores (RN, CHSE, COI, Director of Continuing Education) (NOTE: this article was written in honor of National Nursing Assistants Week - June 18-25, 2020) During my early twenties, I knew I wanted to go into nursing. The idea that I could help others during the most vulnerable of times sat well in my soul. Talking to others, listening to their life stories, getting to know who...
-
Angela Amar, Dean of UNLV School of NursingJun. 18, 2020By Angela Amar, Dean (PhD., RN, FAAN, Dean of UNLV School of Nursing) I remember talking to a group of students of color about their experiences in a school of nursing. One said, “I know my classmates are glad they’re not black. Every time we learn about a disease, being black is always a risk factor. That and Native American.” Another added how grateful she was for the public...
-
Some student nurses who donated to peaceful protesters attended this recent Black Lives Matter rally and vigil in Las VegasJun. 16, 2020By Joseph Gaccione “In 10 years, will you look back and say, ‘You know what? I did my part as a human being.’ That’s where I’m at right now.” Nikule Abel can’t predict if her actions will have a long-term impact when it comes to fighting for social equality. But that’s not stopping her from trying. “[My kids] will ask, ‘What did you do, Mom, in that time?’ I was out there rallying with my...
-
The Clinical Simulation Center of Las Vegas is juggling around different schedules and implementing new techniques in the wake of COVID-19.Jun. 11, 2020By Joseph Gaccione UNLV School of Nursing (UNLVSON) educators and students face a new test this summer. Social distancing policies due to the coronavirus outbreak forced faculty to rearrange the normal 15-week structure of instruction. Instead of a balanced approach mixing lecture classes and clinical simulations equally, new nursing students are currently getting the lecture courses front...
-
New UNLV nursing level 1 students. From left to right: Nicholas Dirasian, Hannah Wetherill, and Jane KearnsJun. 3, 2020By Joseph Gaccione The prerequisites are complete. The pre-nursing track is done. The moment is here for 72 UNLV students to begin their undergraduate nursing path toward their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. But unlike previous cohorts, the Summer 2020 group starts under a temporary new standard during the coronavirus outbreak. Regular academic routines are on hold while UNLV cautiously plans...
-
May. 28, 2020By Joseph Gaccione High fidelity clinical simulations are a vital piece of teaching young nurses about life on the frontlines. By simulating real-life scenarios, procedures, and face-to face interactions with patients in safe environments, students get a hands-on approach to improving their technical skills, communication, and critical thinking. The Clinical Simulation Center of Las Vegas...
-
8 UNLV nursing students, along with professor Jennifer Pfannes and others, make up the inaugural class of the new Community Congestive Heart Failure Program.May. 21, 2020By Joseph Gaccione This year, eight UNLV nursing students made history, even if it was just for a few weeks. UNLV School of Nursing and Dignity Health teamed up for a new initiative called the Community Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Program. Its mission is two-fold: educate patients in the community and give nursing students more experience with personal interactions and with offering...
