By Cindy Glewwe, MEd, RHIA, Health Science Curriculum Manager, Rasmussen College

In the early evolution of higher education, women were not allowed access to colleges and universities.  It was the common concept of the time that women did not have any need to be educated.  Because of these early beliefs, it is quite interesting and refreshing to read of the women who made a mark in the world of higher education despite the obstacles that they had to overcome in order to be a part of this history.  One of the most notable women of the time was Florence Nightingale, who developed nursing as a profession and started the first school of nursing in London in 1892.  Her contributions to the higher education of nurses and other areas of healthcare reform garnered her many recognitions and awards and her name is still known today.

            Nightingale made substantial contributions to the medical profession by developing training curriculum for nurses and opening Nightingale School Home for Nurses at Saint Thomas’s Hospital in London (www.mrs.umn.edu).   This was the beginning of professional training for nursing and the beginning of nursing as a profession.  Her curriculum was copied all over the world.  Nightingale created many reforms in healthcare throughout her life and has a remarkable life history.  National Nurses Week is celebrated in May each year in honor of Florence Nightingale during her birthday week.

           Nightingale took nursing training very seriously and held her students to high standards.  As cited by the author of the Spartacus website (unnamed), Florence wrote in Advice to Nursing Students (1873),  “Nursing is most truly said to be a high calling, an honourable calling. But what does the honour lie in? In working hard during your training to learn and to do all things perfectly. The honour does not lie in putting on Nursing like your uniform. Honour lies in loving perfection, consistency, and in working hard for it: in being ready to work patiently: ready to say not "How clever I am!" but "I am not yet worthy; and I will live to deserve to be called a Trained Nurse. (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REnightingale.htm)   

In the early days of the Nightingale school, student life was described as such:

The normal time the students spent in training was one year. The students lived in private rooms with a common social room in a special area of the Hospital. They attended classes and the sick at St. Thomas . There might be 20-30 students in a yearly class. There were two kinds of probationers. A Lady, an upper class woman with some education could purchase the opportunity to attend the school; a common class woman could serve as student and receive expenses plus a small amount of money upon completion and placement in an institution or home. They all wore a uniform and were under charge of a Matron and an assistant. Nightingale had students upon graduation visit her in her South Street apartment. This was a very cherished moment for few people met her face to face after the Crimean War. And always the student would leave with a gift of food or clothing or something FN felt she needed. FN kept extensive notes on all the students including "character." In fact it was the issue of character that caused her to oppose "certification" of nurses anda "registrar". (http://www.countryjoe.com/nightingale/school.htm).

Graduates of the school were for some time called ‘Nightingales’.  It is interesting to note that this is occasionally still heard in the hospitals of today.  For instance, a volunteer, or ‘candy striper’ who might assist with patient services may be affectionately called a Nightingale.

References:

 Florence Nightingale.  Retrieved November 4, 2006 from http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REnightingale.htm

 Florence Nightengale.   Retrieved October 20, 2006 from http://www.mrs.umn.edu/~sungurea/introstat/history/w98/Nightengale.html

 Florence Nightingale, a school for nurses.  Retrieved November 21, 2006 from

http://www.countryjoe.com/nightingale/school.htm

By Tammy Renner, MS MT(ASCP), MLT Program Director Rasmussen College

National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

April 19-25, 2009

I was asked to write a blog for National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week. Not knowing much about this whole “blogging thing”, I decided I’d give you some medical laboratory information on my chosen profession and how important this week has become in acknowledging the medical laboratory.

This is the 34th year of National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (NMLPW). NMLPW originated in 1975, as NMLW, under the auspices of the American Society for Medical Technology, now called the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS). In the fall of 2005, National Medical Laboratory Week was changed to National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week to emphasize the person whose expertise is needed in the performance of laboratory testing.

There are approximately 300,000 practitioners of clinical laboratory science in the United States today and nearly 50% are between 46 to 66 years of age. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2000 census, an additional 106,000 laboratory professionals will be needed by 2010 to meet the needs of a growing and aging American population. Approximately 12,200 new laboratory professionals will be needed annually to meet the growing need of the world’s population, but only 4,000 to 6,000 graduates will join the workforce each year.

Since the development of this career group in the 1920s, the clinical laboratory science professional has played an increasingly vital role in the diagnosis and prevention of disease. Today, the clinical laboratorian is a key member of a health care team. With more than 10 billion laboratory test performed in the US each year. New and different pathogens along with the ever expanding medical knowledge and technological developments have increased the need for medical laboratory testing.

As team members of one of the largest industries in the United States, the dedicated efforts of laboratory professionals often go unnoticed by the general public.  What 5-year-old declares “I want to be a medical technologist when I grow up!”  Our profession is one of “behind the scenes” medical professions. Little public notice, but vital to the well-being of those of us that have sought medical care; and one that has job opportunities throughout the nation!

Rasmussen College, Inc. is doing its part in helping to provide graduates to the medical laboratory work force. Our first Medical Technician Program started at the Bismarck Campus Winter quarter 2007.  St. Cloud Campus followed with their first class in Summer quarter 2007. Lake Elmo Woodbury and Mankato launched MLT the fall quarter of 2007.  We have now added Moorhead campus with students that started Fall 2008. Fort Myers and Green Bay campuses will have MLT students starting in 2009.

Our Rasmussen medical laboratory team is Lorrie Laurin (Director of Allied Health), Kali Hieb (Bismarck), Tess Schmidt (Bismarck), Susan Finneman (Moorhead), Elizabeth Sobiech (St. Cloud), Laurie Bjerklie (Mankato), Brenda Carlson (Lake Elmo), Breanne Larson (Lake Elmo), and Steven Shelfer (Fort Myers). All of them have had the personal experience of working in a medical laboratory and now have the privilege of teaching a new generation of medical laboratory professionals.

This is a week of recognition for a profession we could not live without!

Lynn Skafte, CMA, Medical Assisting Program Coordinator
Rasmussen College – Eagan Campus

Using Technology to Address Multiple Learning Styles

The weekend of March 13^th and 14^th, 2009, I was recently at the Leaders in Education and Practice conference in Orlando, Florida.  This conference brought medical assisting instructors from across the country together to learn about the new software and technology available to MA instructors that would enable them to enhance the MA programs across the U.S.  I could go on and on about the different workshops that I attended, but one, in particular, really caught my interest – Using Technology to Address Multiple Learning Styles, presented by Andy McPhee from F.A. Davis. 

As educators, it is important for us to be able to identify how each of our students learn and try to adjust our coursework to fit each individual need of our students so they are able to get the best learning experience possible from each class session.  This responsibility may be daunting, but with a little further understanding of learning styles and how to incorporate the use of technology (which, as we all know, is very popular with many of the students!) into the classroom, we would be able to accommodate each learner with a little more ease.

As students, it is important to understand how you learn best and to learn to adapt and adjust when the lesson or assignment does not fit with your preferred style

First of all, there are seven basic learning styles that were discussed in the workshop.  Each and every one of us have multiple learning styles in different situations, however, we prefer to use one or two over any other style.  Here is a breakdown of the seven basic learning styles:

1.       We all have multiple styles, but prefer only 1-2

2.       7 basic learning styles

a.       Visual (spatial)

                                                                           i.      Prefers pictures, images, and spatial understanding

                                                                         ii.      Occipital love

                                                                        iii.      Parietal Lobe

b.      Aural (auditory-musical)

                                                                           i.      Prefers using sound and music

                                                                         ii.      Temporal lobe

c.       Verbal (linguistic)

                                                                           i.      Prefers using words in speech and writing

                                                                         ii.      Frontal lobe

d.      Physical (kinesthetic)

                                                                           i.      Prefers using body, hands, and sense of touch

                                                                         ii.      cerebellum

e.      Logical (mathematical) (linear)

                                                                           i.      Prefers using logic, reasoning, systems

                                                                         ii.      “list makers”

f.        Social (interpersonal)

                                                                           i.      Prefers to learn in groups or with other people

g.       Solitary (intrapersonal)

                                                                           i.      Prefers to work alone and use self-study

The presenter, Andy McPhee, had mentioned that he had his students take small tests online to examine what type of learner each student was.  The following websites were provided to us and could be a handy tool for you, if you choose to go this route:

1.       Learning style assessment

a.       http://www.ldpride.net/learning-style-test.html

b.      http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory

c.       http://www.ulc.arizona.edu/learning_style.php

Alright, so now that we understand the different type of learning styles, how can we apply them to the classroom using up-to-date technology that our students are able to truly enjoy and interact with?  Here is a summary of the common technologies with a break-down of which different learning styles may benefit with the use of the technologies.

Common Technologies:

1.       Electronic whiteboards

a.       Fit these types of learners:

                                                                           i.      Kinesthetic – go up and do different things on the board

                                                                         ii.      Social -- great for interaction; group activities

                                                                        iii.      Visual – able to see everything on the board

b.      Description:

                                                                           i.      Ceramic/plastic whiteboard that can electronically scan itself

                                                                         ii.      Images can be transferred to computer, edited, printed, e-mailed, or faxed

c.       Benefits:

                                                                           i.      Enhances student response

                                                                         ii.      Highly useful for distance learning

                                                                        iii.      Reduces paper load

                                                                       iv.      Encourages involvement

                                                                         v.      Reduces re-learning time; they “get it” the first time

                                                                       vi.      Allows use of multimedia resources and internet with whole class

d.      Activity Ideas

                                                                           i.      Demonstrate blood flow through heart

                                                                         ii.      Dosage calculations

                                                                        iii.      Parts of a letter

                                                                       iv.      Word-building

                                                                         v.      Sequencing

                                                                       vi.      Concept mapping

                                                                      vii.      Showing PPTs – clicking on links in the PPTs, clicking through the PPTs

                                                                    viii.      Games on the board

2.       Interactive response systems (this allows students to answer questions without being singled out in front of their classmates).

a.       Fits:

                                                                           i.      Kinesthetic

                                                                         ii.      Logical

                                                                        iii.      Solitary

b.      Description:

                                                                           i.      Wireless, handheld input device for in class testing

                                                                         ii.      Generally low-cost

                                                                        iii.      Grading and reporting is done for you automatically

c.       Benefits:

                                                                           i.      Increases retention of learning

                                                                         ii.      Increases attention and motivation

                                                                        iii.      Improves student attitudes

                                                                       iv.      Enhances teaching effectiveness through immediate feedback

                                                                         v.      Reduces learner anxiety by allowing anonymous polling

d.      Basic uses:

                                                                           i.      Find out if students have completed assigned reading

                                                                         ii.      Measure opinions and what students knew before the lecture and what they know after

                                                                        iii.      Confront common misperceptions

                                                                       iv.      Facilitate discussion and peer teaching

3.       Podcasts

a.       Fit these types of learning styles:

                                                                           i.      Auditory

                                                                         ii.      Solitary

                                                                        iii.      Visual (video)

b.      Description:

                                                                           i.      “personal on Demand broadcast”

                                                                         ii.      Sound or video files that can be downloaded to iPod or other PDA

                                                                        iii.      Allow learning wherever learning is

c.       Types available

                                                                           i.      Audiobooks

1.       Vango Notes for Wingerd, Rice, other (Prentice Hall)

2.       Abbreviated chapters

3.       Proprietary software

4.       For sale items ($11.95 to $15.95)

                                                                         ii.      Applications

1.       Mosby’s iTerms Flash cards, others

2.       Proprietary software (modality)

3.       For-sale items ($1.99 to $39.99)

4.       Coding program (GasCoder) $149.99

                                                                        iii.      Audio podcasts

1.       Free

2.       Typically subscription-based

3.       Topics

a.       Nursing

b.      Anatomy

c.       Coding

d.      ICD-10

e.      Medical News

f.        Med Term

g.       Test-taking tips

h.      First Aid

i.         Nutrition

j.        Fitness

                                                                       iv.      Video podcasts

1.       Only a few for health care at the moment, but bound to grow

                                                                         v.      Activity ideas:

1.       Listen-and-Say

a.       Students listen to collection of audio medical terms

b.      In class, rapid-fire game of pronunciation

2.       Find-A-Term

a.       Assign specific terms and have students locate them on the podcast by time into podcast.

As you can see, there are endless options for us, as educators, to be able to get our students more involved in a way that makes them learn and feel like they are retaining the information!  There were multiple newer programs that involved a virtual medical offices and interactive programs that were introduced at the conference.  However, it all ended up coming back to one common theme – our students and how they learn!  If we can find a way to somehow integrate as many learning styles into the classroom with a more up-to-date approach, I believe our students would truly benefit from this.

Please let me know if you are interested in getting more information.  I have over ten pages of notes that I took during those two days!  I have contact information, program information and many links to different websites that may be beneficial to your classroom!

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

By Cheryl Pratt, RN, MA, CNAA-BC