News Photo by Steve Schulwitz This screen shot shows Alpena Community College Nursing instructor Bev Banks leading classroom instruction via livestream to her students on Friday, with a manikin in the background. Each of her pupils has a lab kit at home and Banks walks them through exercises they will need to help others. The move to online teaching was made to limit the spread of COVID-19.

ALPENA — Future nurses at Alpena Community College are being forced to learn their craft in an unconventional manner because the college closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Students, staff, and administrators are utilizing online learning for courses typically reserved for hands-on training. Instructors are working around such barriers to continue to teach their pupils while making it as fun and educational as possible.

The college is livestreaming its nursing classroom to students stuck at home by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order keeping people indoors unless absolutely necessary. Students have lab kits at home for some of their hands-on lessons.

The state on Friday reported one case of COVID-19 in Presque Isle County, though the local health department could not confirm that. No cases have been reported in Alpena, Montmorency, or Alcona counties. Nearly 13,000 cases and nearly 500 deaths have been reported statewide, mostly in Detroit.

At ACC, nursing instructor Bev Banks said the college has used remote teaching technology for several years to reach its students in Oscoda. That experience has helped college staff transition to the more intense assignments needed now.

‘I’M AN EXTENSION OF THEM’

For some lessons, students at home instruct Banks, who is at the college, on what to do during simulations with a medical manikin.

“I’m an extension of them and their hands when they need them,” Banks said. “They can tell me what they want me to do and I do it and relay the results back to them.”

Students daydream or get distracted by what’s going on at their houses, but Banks can see that and bring them back.

“I can see when there are cats, dogs, and family in the background, and, if I feel I lost their attention, I throw a question at them,” the instructor said.

Student Kennedy Chmura will become a registered nurse when she graduates next month.

She said that, although the method of teaching has changed, she believes she and her classmates still will be prepared to provide care in a real-world setting. Perhaps more so.

Although she has a little regret about not being able to execute some exercises in class, the experiences of online learning now will serve students well down the road as the nation’s health care systems move toward more telemedicine, she said.

“Staff has been extremely supportive and, in the long run, I think we will benefit from this as society transitions to more online medicine, especially in rural areas where health care options can be limited,” Chmura said.

‘HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR’

Banks and other instructors try to keep some of the classes lighthearted while still reinforcing the seriousness the job entails.

That’s always been part of ACC’s program, Director of Nursing Melissa Fournier said, because cracking jokes can be valuable to both nurses and patients.

“We tell them they are going to be exposed to high-pressure situations, but also that it is good to have a good sense of humor,” Fournier said. “It is good that we are able to put our hair down once in a while.”

Banks lightens the mood of class with things like “Pajama Day” and “Unicorn Day.” She said students respond well to those festivities and most participate. When she senses someone is stressed or scared — which she said happens often in nursing school — she takes extra steps to connect with them and help them through.

“There are times that we do have to talk them off of the ledge, but it is also good to be scared and nervous, because the program and real-life nursing is pressure-packed,” Banks said. “Nursing is hard. If it wasn’t, anyone could do it.”

As the semester nears its end and students graduate, they will soon be on the front lines helping others in the COVID-19 pandemic.

ACC President Don MacMaster said he is proud of the way the nursing program and other school programs have conducted business during the trying times of coronavirus.

“The culture of an institution is often revealed during challenging times, and I’m proud of the way faculty and students have risen to the occasion,” he said. “Our community should be very proud.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.