It all started last summer, when Dawn Venema, PT, PhD, Asst Professor in PT Education was contacted by Margaret Kaiser, RN, PhD, Asst Professor in the College of Nursing. Dr. Kaiser was inquiring if PT students might be interested in teaching patient transfer skills to her nursing students. (For those of you who aren’t familiar with what a “transfer” is – it involves helping a patient change position, such as from laying down to sitting up, or getting out of bed and into a chair.) After a few brainstorming sessions, a plan was formed, and it came to fruition on Oct 7 and 8.
Dr. Venema, along with ten PT3 students (Margo Hardy, Jill Smolcyzk, Kelsey Roberts, Anna Budziszewska, Jami Redding, Maggie Rauth, Brianne Walbrecht, Deniece Petersen, Ann Christiansen, and Crystal Hollatz) taught 67 first-year nursing students basic patient transfer skills over the two days as part of the nursing course: NRSG 314AC Patient Centered Care Clinical 1. A strong emphasis was placed on safety – both for the health care professionals and for the patients, as well as how nurses and PTs can work together toward common goals for inpatient care.
Students on both sides found benefit in the experience. Nursing faculty and students appreciated our time and expertise. The PT students gained valuable experience teaching these skills, as PTs who work in inpatient settings are commonly called upon to teach transfer skills to other health care professionals.
Thanks again to those PT students who participated in this experience. You represented the PT profession and the SAHP very well!