Texas Border Business
Laredo College students in the Learning, Excellence and Academic Preparedness in STEM (LEAPS) Program work closely with their assigned faculty mentor each semester to conduct an extensive research project. When choosing this semester’s topic, eight of these students could not imagine the magnitude their research topic would have on a global scale.
When the spring 2020 semester began on January 13, LC nursing faculty Dr. Manuel Gonzalez and his eight students were still undecided about what subject to tackle.
Only a week later, a 35-year-old male patient went to an urgent care clinic in Washington State presenting symptoms of fever, cough and headache. The patient reported that he had recently traveled to Wuhan, China to visit his family and became concerned after hearing that a recent outbreak of a novel coronavirus had been reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Because healthcare authorities in China had already confirmed that a cluster of people who had been exposed to the virus became critically ill, this topic was chosen to further study the novel virus. The following week, a presentation was shared with the undergraduate research students and their student mentors followed by a question and answer session.
During the session, the purpose of the research and learning objectives were discussed, including the mode of transmission, signs, symptoms and measures to mitigate the spread of this virus by following CDC guidelines.
In early February, students had the opportunity to participate in a mock hospital scenario in which patients with symptoms of COVID-19 required patient care and close monitoring of their vital signs. The group consisted of eight students who are pursuing a career in a health-related field.
To make the setting more realistic, the students were assigned the roles of nurses and physicians and were required to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment, while other students played the role of family members.
Since the simulation lab at Laredo College is equipped with high-fidelity computerized mannequins, the stage was already set by having the students interact with these computerized mannequins that resemble real-life patients and respond to specific commands. The simulation allows students, at all levels, to develop their communication and assessment skills in a safe environment without exposing them to potential or actual threats.
Laredo College President Dr. Ricardo J. Solis noted the accomplishments LC faculty and students had achieved.
“Our health sciences students are equipped with the most innovative technology used in the medical field,” Dr. Solis said. “Our accomplished faculty has done a remarkable job at teaching and training the future healthcare professionals of our region. Their experience and professionalism is reflected in Laredo College’s impressive ranking as the #1 nursing program in Texas for three consecutive years.”
STEM student Gillian Garza said she was excited about the research because she knew she could not only learn from the subject matter at hand but also educate people on it. She said her research also taught her a valuable life lesson.
“The virus made me realize how much my family and friends mean to me since people are losing the ones closest to them,” Garza said. “I learned to cherish my time with the ones I love.”
Although the students were incoming freshmen, they did a fantastic job and met their research objectives.
