Student Nurses as Workforce Extenders: A Pandemic-Proof Education Innovation.

Background: The authors developed an innovative academic-practice partnership to meet the clinical experience needs of student nurses in a public health clinical course and support the nursing workforce due to the COVID-19 pandemic in a community-based hospital.

Method: The partnership (1) prioritized student and staff safety, (2) complied with local and state policies, (3) used faculty to supervise students, and (4) was built on the preexisting relationship between nursing faculty and hospital leaders. Student nurses deployed as workforce extenders with the clinical instructor on-site as the primary supervisor.

Results: Students reported improved prioritization, independence, problem-solving, task delegation, supportive communication, and feeling valued as team members. Patient care provided by supervised students helped staff improve their time management by assisting with skills and offering support for patients that optimized the patient care experience.

Conclusion: The partnership was safe and feasible, allowing students to meet the clinical objectives without additional burden to staff nurses. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(7):416-419.].