TAMIU Annual Report 2020

Knowing that someone is listening and cares is important to ev- eryone. Communicating that care during the COVID-19 Pandemic response can be a real challenge. That’swhy TAMIU’s College ofNursing andHealthSciences, Dr. F. M. Canseco School ofNursing studentswanted tohelp those Laredoans oftenmore isolated thanothers: stroke survivors and caregivers. And by reaching out, students and their faculty tapped into a mutually fulfilling initiative that has warmed hearts and minds. “Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the nursing program faced the challenge of needing a clinical site for the psychiatric mental health course. Our nursingprofessors approached the Laredo Stroke Support Group for a potential collaboration. We set up a platform for TAMIU students and faculty to communicate with Stroke Support Group members while maintaining social distancing,” explained Dr. Carol Gunnoe , clinical assistant professor. The entire class of 53 students was trained to interact with stroke survivors, using therapeutic communication techniques and active listening. They provided preventative health education and group activities such as exercise, art and a tennis class via Zoom. Eliseo Ceja , Laredo Stroke Support Group executive director, ap- preciated the TAMIU collaboration. “Since COVID-19we have had tomovemost of our activities online. Stroke survivors are at high risk of falling ill…leaving a lot of themwith the void of interacting with their friends. TAMIU nursing students TAMIU NURSING STUDENTS, LAREDO STROKE SUPPORT GROUP SHARE COVID-19 OUTREACH INITIATIVE have definitely filled that voidwith their check-up calls, and for that, we are immensely grateful,” Ceja observed. One Laredo Stroke Support Groupparticipant posted their experi- ence with a TAMIU nursing student on social media, noting: “I so look forward to her weekly calls as she checks in on me to make sure I’m ok, asks about any concerns I may have, my likes, my feelings, how I’mdealingwith the things that overwhelmme or stress me out, andwhatever else I want to talk about…God bless her always as I’m confident she will make a wonderful nurse one day, and I look forward to the day that I get to meet her face to face,” they shared. Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Dr. Marivic Torregosa said innovative teaching approaches and collaborations help distinguish Nursing education at TAMIU. “This initiative underscores the School of Nursing’s resilience and creativity in finding meaningful clinical learning experiences for our students. It affirms that we continue to advance our mission while simultaneously addressing the needs of the community. Mental health and therapeutic communication with one another are much needed in these challenging times, and we’re proud to be part of an important solution,” Torregosa concluded. TAMIUCollegeofNursingandHealthSciences,Dr.F.M.CansecoSchoolofNursing students providedpreventativehealtheducationandgroupactivities,including a tennis class via Zoom. 30