The Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center (SETRC), through CARES Act funding, is providing telehealth training for graduating college students preparing to enter the healthcare workforce. The goal is to provide a “Telehealth Ready” workforce capable of addressing the increased demand for the delivery of virtual healthcare created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Training began during the Fall 2020 Semester and continues thru the Winter and Spring 2021 semesters for other universities. Telehealth is a vital mechanism for providing access to safe, cost-effective quality care to patients at a distance. As such, it is important for medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, behavioral health clinicians and other providers to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to utilize telehealth technologies in practice. The Multimodal Training Program consists of self-paced recorded telehealth courses, live Q&A sessions with telehealth experts & technology demonstrations that promote student practice sessions. Lecture topics range from Telehealth 101 to HIPAA and security.
This SETRC Project is supported by grant #GA5RH37460 from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services.
The South Georgia State College School of Nursing (SON) is a recipient of a $3,000 award from SETRC to support the administration of the telehealth training for its students. The SGSC School of Nursing currently offers three tracks leading to a professional career in nursing. The Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse (LPN-RN) Bridge program and Associate of Science in Nursing Program (ASN) program prepare students to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. Successful completion entitles one to practice nursing and use the title, Registered Nurse (RN). SGSC also offers a hybrid RN-BSN program for students who are licensed as a Registered Nurse. The RN-BSN program is designed to allow the smooth transition from Associate of Science in Nursing to Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) at SGSC is approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing and both programs (ASN and RN-BSN) are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
SGSC Dean of Nursing Dr. Jaime Carter realizes the demand for telehealth services is growing daily and will likely continue to play a major role in healthcare post pandemic. She explains, “As the care provided through telehealth services is expanding, so is the need for our students to be trained to work in this environment. Patients no longer worry about putting their health at risk in traditional settings and health professionals are more easily accessible through the use of technology. This award will allow the School of Nursing to implement additional educational and hands-on experiences related to virtual healthcare which will help contribute to the ‘Telehealth Ready’ workforce”.