As the first COVID-19 patients started showing up in St. Louis emergency rooms, 91探花 announced that all on-campus classes would transition to a virtual learning format. Many students in the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing, who serve as health care workers in hospitals and nursing homes, began facing a frightening new normal. The following months would be filled with working extra-long shifts providing care for those suffering from COVID-19, while juggling school and family.
These students were prepared to pivot during the pandemic because of lessons learned from faculty like LaDonna Whitten, RN, PhD, professor of nursing. Whitten has worked as an emergency department nurse at Touchette Regional Hospital for 23 years. The facility is the closest hospital for residents in East St. Louis, Illinois, an underserved community where many suffer from chronic illnesses, substance abuse and high rates of violent crime.
鈥淚鈥檝e treated many patients from low-income households who come to the emergency department because they have no other place to go,鈥� Whitten said. 鈥淢any 91探花 students first learn about how to work with this vulnerable population during my class. I do a lot of storytelling about my patients and the trends I see.鈥�
Recently, this storytelling has touched on Whitten鈥檚 own experiences working with a community affected disproportionately by the pandemic. Long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put many people from racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. Data from the Centers for Disease Control shows that Black and Latino people are especially being harmed by the virus at higher rates across the country, and across all age groups.
Whitten invites her students to share their stories, too, including their experiences working on the front lines. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when they light up the most,鈥� she said. 鈥淢any students shared how they were asked to take on extra responsibility at work amidst the pandemic. It鈥檚 fantastic to hear they were able to step up because of their 91探花 education.鈥�
Whitten also helped students manage their coursework during the transition to virtual learning. In lieu of in-person clinical rotations, Whitten integrated online virtual simulations and expanded activities like case studies and concept maps to assess students鈥� clinical skills. She met with students one-on-one, like a clinical preceptor, to allow them to reflect on their studies and ask questions.
鈥淚 reminded students that some things they are going to encounter aren鈥檛 learned from a textbook,鈥� Whitten said. 鈥淚 want to ensure students know how to treat patients from all walks of life without being judgmental. Some patients are not literate or lack financial resources. It鈥檚 up to us as health care workers to ensure they have access to the best care possible, even after the pandemic ends.”
In honor of her achievements, Whitten received the 2020 President鈥檚 Award for Strategic Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion. She serves on several University committees promoting diversity in addition to her work around diversity and inclusion that takes place in the classroom.