A program called “The Other Side of the Bed,” which was developed at the Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Boston, is described in this brief article. Opportunities are available during the summer for medical students who have completed their first year to work in the hospital as healthcare technicians, an unlicensed clinical position within the VA system. There is formal orientation and training. The medical students work with nurses in providing hands-on care. This program is expected to enhance physicians’ understanding of the role played by nurses, as well as provide the students with a first opportunity to interact with patients. This program has been replicated at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, WI.
There is also a brief interview with Cecilia McVey, a nurse executive at the Boston VA hospital who was one of the developers of this program: Click here: http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/schools/son/aboutus/publications/Voice0/Summer2012/Fulfillingdestiny/CeciliaMcVey72.html
Source: Beglinger, J.E. (2014, September). Designing tomorrow from the other side of the bed. JONA. The Journal of Nursing Administration. 44(9):444-445. Click here for publisher’s website: http://journals.lww.com/jonajournal/Abstract/2014/09000/Designing_Tomorrow_From_the_Other_Side_of_the_Bed.3.aspx Posted by AHA Resource Center (312) 422-2050, rc@aha.org
Filed under: Health care workforce, Nursing, Physicians, Posted by Kim Garber | Tagged: Medical students, Teamwork between physicians and nurses, Teamwork in hospitals |
American Hospital Association Resource Center Blog 
Interesting post. Thanks for it.
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