SARANAC LAKE - Three New York University nursing students are getting first-hand experience in rural health care through a two-week program offered at Adirondack Medical Center.
According to Tony Leiker, who is a faculty member with the College of Nursing at NYU, the three nursing students will be at AMC from Jan. 5 to Jan. 16. This rotation through the various departments at AMC allows the students to immerse themselves in all aspects of rural health care.
The program at AMC was initiated during discussions between John W. Mills, president of Paul Smith's College, and Terry Fulmer, College of Nursing dean at NYU. This is the first year for it, but AMC hopes to continue it in the future.
Paul Smith's College, which has explored the possibility of adding a bachelor's-level nursing degree to its own curriculum, is supporting the initiative by providing housing for the NYU students at its Saranac Lake residence hall.
"High-quality nursing care is essential everywhere, but it faces unique challenges in a rural environment," Mills said. "We want to keep these health care issues on our local radar, and we're pleased to work with both the Adirondack Medical Center and NYU on highlighting the importance of training prospective nurses to meet these challenges."
This is the first time the program has been offered at NYU, and it was developed out of a strong feeling that rural health needs to be taught as part of the curriculum at the nursing college, according to a press release from AMC.
"This is an excellent opportunity for the students to leave the city environment and gain a fresh perspective on providing care in a rural setting," said Margaret Sorensen, chief nursing officer for AMC, who will be guiding the students through their two weeks. "Equally important is that they can take that knowledge back with them, rounding out what is already an exceptional education."
"The staff is extremely welcoming," said Rebecca Brown, one of the students. "They're excited for us to be learning about rural nursing."
Brown, who is from Schenectady, worked at St. Claire's Hospital in Schenectady and did an internship at Albany Medical Center before going to NYU, where she did a clinical rotation at Einstein Hospital in the Bronx.
"It's a very nice environment," Brown said of AMC. "It seems like a relaxing, healing environment. It's quiet, much quieter than the hospitals in the city."
Michael Ehrie, another one of the students, is from Ashland, Ky. He said he has done clinicals at many New York hospitals, including NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Harlem Hospital in Manhattan and Elmhurst Hospital in Queens.
"AMC is much smaller, but the quality of care is very excellent," Ehrie said. "Nurses tend to spend more time with each patient here."
Contact Nathan Brown at 891-2600 ext. 26 or nbrown@adirondackdailyenterprise.com.
