100 signatures reached
To: Drexel College of Nursing Administrators
Drexel Ace Students say: Allow us an option
As nursing students in the ACE Program at Drexel University College of Nursing, we are writing to express our strong discomfort with the proposed plan to return to in-person instruction week 3 without a remote attendance option available to coincide.
Not only are we currently experiencing a surge in covid cases due to the Omicron variant, but many of us have recently returned from visiting friends and family over the holidays which will inevitably result in a further viral spread.
As a school that trains healthcare professionals, we believe that Drexel University, specifically the College of Nursing, should be taking proactive steps to halt the spread, as nurses bear the brunt of caring for individuals hospitalized with covid.
Many of us have already worked with covid patients in our clinical rotations and some of us have seen covid patients die in front of our own eyes.
It has become clear that being fully vaccinated and boosted is no longer sufficient protection against the omicron variant, and that this variant is twice as contagious as the delta variant.
By enforcing a policy that would require roughly 200 students to physically attend lectures for up to 7 hours in lecture halls with no room for social distancing and no airflow, we are putting one another, our families, and our patients at risk.
One further issue that we would like to call attention to is the fact that when we are feeling sick or have covid, and aren't given the option to attend online class, we students feel forced to come to class to hear lecture. Individuals coming to class sick because it's their only option to learn amidst a viral pandemic is only going to continue spreading it to other classmates, faculty, and potentially patients and staff members at clinical.
We understand the necessity of attending clinical experiences and labs in person as there is crucial hands-on learning that occurs in these spaces. On the other hand, there is no real need to physically have every student attend lectures in person. We experienced in-person and remote learning options during the Summer quarter and saw success.
We hope that you will take our concerns seriously and reconsider allowing both in-person and remote attendance options as we move forward with winter quarter. Our goal is to create the opportunity to have a successful quarter with the most beneficial and safe experience as possible for everyone.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Drexel University ACE Students
Not only are we currently experiencing a surge in covid cases due to the Omicron variant, but many of us have recently returned from visiting friends and family over the holidays which will inevitably result in a further viral spread.
As a school that trains healthcare professionals, we believe that Drexel University, specifically the College of Nursing, should be taking proactive steps to halt the spread, as nurses bear the brunt of caring for individuals hospitalized with covid.
Many of us have already worked with covid patients in our clinical rotations and some of us have seen covid patients die in front of our own eyes.
It has become clear that being fully vaccinated and boosted is no longer sufficient protection against the omicron variant, and that this variant is twice as contagious as the delta variant.
By enforcing a policy that would require roughly 200 students to physically attend lectures for up to 7 hours in lecture halls with no room for social distancing and no airflow, we are putting one another, our families, and our patients at risk.
One further issue that we would like to call attention to is the fact that when we are feeling sick or have covid, and aren't given the option to attend online class, we students feel forced to come to class to hear lecture. Individuals coming to class sick because it's their only option to learn amidst a viral pandemic is only going to continue spreading it to other classmates, faculty, and potentially patients and staff members at clinical.
We understand the necessity of attending clinical experiences and labs in person as there is crucial hands-on learning that occurs in these spaces. On the other hand, there is no real need to physically have every student attend lectures in person. We experienced in-person and remote learning options during the Summer quarter and saw success.
We hope that you will take our concerns seriously and reconsider allowing both in-person and remote attendance options as we move forward with winter quarter. Our goal is to create the opportunity to have a successful quarter with the most beneficial and safe experience as possible for everyone.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Drexel University ACE Students
Why is this important?
One of the central tenets of nursing we are taught is to advocate for our patients and I believe that is at the heart of what we are doing here by endorsing virtual didactic learning. We are standing up for our communities including not only ourselves and our families but also our fellow students and healthcare professionals, as well as those we have committed to helping.