It's Cinical

Jose Carballo Gomez, an adjunct professor who oversees students in nursing clinicals, talks to John and Maggie about how we can better support both nursing students and their clinical directors. Jose has the unique perspective with a Masters in Nursing Education.  

For a transcript of this podcast, use this link: Transcript of Adjunct Files with Clinical Nursing.docx

Theme music composed, performed and produced by James Husni.

Adjunct Nation is a collaborative podcast under the auspices of The Lucas Center for Faculty Development at FGCU. You can learn more by clicking on this link:

https://www.fgcu.edu/lucascenter/

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:06

Welcome to the Adjunct Files.

Speaker 2: 0:07

We're a growing, diverse community who face challenging work in an ever-changing higher education landscape.

Speaker 1: 0:15

Your co-hosts for this podcast are with you in this.

Speaker 2: 0:17

I'm John Roth, adjunct since 2015 and now coordinator for adjunct faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University 2015 and now coordinator for adjunct faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Speaker 1: 0:28

I'm Maggie Hahn, adjunct since 2022 and currently work in the office of first-year seminars. Together, we hope to have conversations to empower, support and elevate adjunct Files.

Speaker 2: 0:49

Maggie, how are you today?

Speaker 1: 0:51

I'm great, John. How are you?

Speaker 2: 0:53

Good, oh my goodness, here we go.

Speaker 1: 0:55

I know I'm very excited for today's guest.

Speaker 2: 0:57

Yeah, I am too, because this is a type of adjunct faculty member that sometimes is neglected, I think in university settings these are definitely scholar practitioners. They are actually overseeing clinicals, right. So, jose, please share with us a bit about yourself, your background, how you got connected to FGCU. We're glad to have you here. Jose is in the School of Nursing and runs clinicals in the right. Is that the way you?

Speaker 3: 1:30

call it Clinicals. Yeah, clinicals at Cape Coral Hospital.

Speaker 2: 1:33

Awesome With Lee Health. Yes, sir, all right.

Speaker 3: 1:36

My wife gets over there once a week.

Speaker 2: 1:38

so she works for Lee Health too. Oh, okay, Great.

Speaker 3: 1:41

Definitely Well. Thank you for having me at the podcast, john and Maggie. I'm so happy to be here and obviously you know share a little bit about my experience. So I've been a nurse for about 10 years and I came to FGCU because about a year and a half ago I moved from Tampa.

Speaker 1: 2:07

Over in Tampa.

Speaker 3: 2:07

I did practice at Tampa General Hospital and then I worked for Arizona College of Nursing as faculty. I do have a master's degree in nursing education, as I mentioned previously. So what got me into teaching is just, I want to say probably two things. Both my parents are educators and I think that kind of you know gave me a little itch, whether I like it or not, to go that way. I, you know, when I was in college I did not think I would become a adjunct or faculty member, but you know, life takes you places where sometimes you're like I'm probably not going to be there, but I'm, you know, so thankful that I chose this path.

Speaker 3: 2:50

So I came to the FGCU community because I got a job offer from Lee Health, cape Coral, as a staff nurse at a PCU unit, at a PCU unit. And then I also wanted to keep, you know, my master's in education, you know teaching, you know students, because I do have a passion for that. So I saw a group of FGCU students at our campus and so I was like, hmm, fgcu. So I looked you guys up, I applied for an open position and then I interviewed and you know that's how I pretty much got here. But I did have, you know, offers from FSW and other colleges in the area. But the reason why I chose FGCU is just because I had heard great things about you guys and then also in the clinical setting I could definitely tell the professionalism of the students of FGCU.

Speaker 2: 3:50

Awesome, that's always good to hear.

Speaker 1: 3:52

So for me.

Speaker 3: 3:52

You know that was a no-brainer, and then that's how I've been here. I've been here with you guys for about two semesters now and I've taught adult health one, and then this fall semester I'm going to be teaching adult health two for the nursing program and that happens within the hospital setting.

Speaker 2: 4:12

Is that correct?

Speaker 3: 4:13

Yes, correct. So for nursing you have the theory portion, you have the lab portion and you have the clinical portion. What I do is that I receive a group of students in the clinical setting, so I'm their guide in the hospital. Like I take him to the different units, I make sure that they're doing what they're supposed to be for that day. I'm their resource because obviously you know, I have the experience to be there.

Speaker 1: 4:43

So as is your role? You'd say a clinical supervisor or just like a clinical adjunct instructor. How does that work?

Speaker 3: 4:52

So I am a clinical adjunct for the school of nursing, meaning that I strictly do clinicals. So I do not have to be here at the college for any type of teaching. My teaching is at the hospital sitting and I'm the supervisor, if you want to call it, for the students in that clinical setting.

Speaker 2: 5:16

How many students do you get in? Maybe a cohort or a class, if you call it that?

Speaker 3: 5:22

Yeah, very good question. So I have, with F fgcu, I have a total of eight students. There are rules and regulations that you know dictate how many students you can have in the clinical setting, so I believe.

Speaker 2: 5:37

Yeah, just, we're glad for that. Yes, definitely no, let's not kill anybody.

Speaker 3: 5:41

Yeah, because you have to keep track. You know you're dealing with lives right, so you definitely want to make sure that you keep a close contact with the students. So the most students that I've had in Tampa were 12 students, because that's the most that you can have in a clinical setting. Thankfully, here at FGCU I have eight students. Fgcu, I have eight students. I'm actually able to concentrate more in their skills and then obviously, you know, have more time for them because of the, you know, small group amounts.

Speaker 2: 6:15

It just seems, like Maggie, that he's got this great nexus, this convergence of a lot of things in his life from the education background of his family, his own master's in education, his nursing, his time up in Tampa General, which is like no small feet.

Speaker 1: 6:32

Yeah, I'm impressed with that hospital system Street cred.

Speaker 2: 6:36

That has been a question being the coordinator for adjunct faculty here at FGCU. We've looked at. There are certain niche adjunct positions here and Jose, you represent one of those, thank you. And well, it's not like we're going to teach you how to have active learning in the classroom. Clinicals are active learning, but I think there's still a need for support. Just tell us some of your observations. I'm glad you have found the professionalism of our students. You know top rate, but what do you see?

Speaker 1: 7:16

What are some areas for opportunity?

Speaker 2: 7:18

Yeah for growth, for how we might the Lucas Center.

Speaker 1: 7:22

Support you all.

Speaker 2: 7:23

Yeah, which is the faculty development, the Center for Teaching and Learning here. How can we support you all so that you grow in your confidence in doing this, you enjoy it more, that the interactions with the nursing students are more effective, just everything kind of coming together.

Speaker 1: 7:41

Yeah, because your role is so niche and you mentioned a little bit earlier that you don't come on campus, so you're really helping guide, mentor and assess these students with what they're learning on campus now, in your setting right, and that's a very unique translation Like, how do you communicate with the faculty who are teaching that theory and that? Because it's very different when you're teaching it versus you are now helping reinforce and assess those skills that the students are applying yes, they've learned.

Speaker 3: 8:12

no, yeah, very good question actually. So you know, I've had colleagues of mine who don't have, like, the teaching background Right. They do have the experience. You know, they're great nurse practitioners, they're great doctors in nursing. But that necessarily doesn't mean that you can actually create a safe environment for the student to actually be able to ask you questions to learn.

Speaker 3: 8:48

So how do you actually you know teach those people? How do you actually teach a nurse practitioner who necessarily doesn't have the teaching background right? How do you tell them, hey, like this is the best approach to evaluate how the student is learning, or how this is the best approach to give feedback to a student? One of the things that I do recommend, or you know from my experience in the previous faculty roles that I've had, is that, you know, the Lucas Center could definitely reach out to the nursing school or let's say, the School of Arts or the School of Finance, and they could coordinate, let's say, with the dean or whoever that person that is in charge of the adjuncts there

Speaker 3: 9:40

and say let's identify who your adjuncts are, that you know don't necessarily have the experience in teaching, and let's put a workshop for them or let's have them, you know, come to a meeting here on campus so they can actually see the campus.

Speaker 3: 9:56

Because, as I was telling you, like, for me this is the second time that I've been here on campus, so but I just never have technically been invited to like a workshop. You know, thankfully I do have the educational background, but I've had colleagues who you know have told me, hey, I wish that, you know, they would come up with a workshop or let's say, like a meeting where I could come in and just learn about how to give feedback, how to evaluate students. So I think it's just coordinating with each school and identifying who those people are and maybe, you know, even putting them online so they can actually jump in Absolutely, and you know that they've received that training and I think that's going to be a long run positive for students because at the end of the day, we want to make sure that our students that are actually learning, you know.

Speaker 2: 10:48

Yeah. Especially in your field yeah definitely so.

Speaker 3: 10:54

you know, I've seen courses that are assigned to Canvas for us to complete, like, for example, the safety shooter and all of that stuff. So why can't we have, you know, like a course that may be clinical adjuncts need to actually complete, and or, you know, one of the processes is that they actually also show up at least once or twice to the actual college that they teach for? You know, you know, I think those would be great ideas oh my, my goodness, he's like have you been reading our emails, yeah, or preaching?

Speaker 2: 11:28

you're preaching to the choir, right? Uh, you are definitely singing our tune.

Speaker 3: 11:34

Um, we'd love, I'd love to partner with you, maybe create a little like committee to look at what is it that we should be doing and providing for you, yeah no, definitely I would love to collaborate, you know, with the Lucas Center and you, John and Maggie because those are things that, like I tell you that I see in the clinical setting, because I do see other instructors in the hospital from other colleges that do meet with me and they're like Jose, like I had this issue with a student, like how do you address it? So sometimes you know they just need that guidance Because, once again, they're great nurse practitioners, doctors, they can teach you how to read labs, how to assess a patient.

Speaker 1: 12:16

They're subject matter experts.

Speaker 3: 12:17

Exactly. But at the end of the day, is we want to also teach them how to evaluate students and how they're learning Right.

Speaker 2: 12:39

How have you seen it?

Speaker 3: 12:40

How are you doing it? So one of the things that I like to do with my students is that at the beginning I meet with them in the conference room like the very first day of clinical. I go over my expectations. I do tell them that you know about my experience and that you know I was in their position. And I try to go one by one. I have eight students right, so it gives me a little time and I ask them tell me a little bit about you, what brought you into the nursing profession? And I try to make that connection. I try to make sure that everybody feels comfortable in the room Because one way or the other for nursing a student tells me that they're doing it because they want to help.

Speaker 3: 13:24

You know they. You know they had either an experience in their life where, like their mom was sick or a family member was sick, or you know they went on a mission trip, medical mission trip, and then they wanted to help other people. So I try to make that connection and I feel like a lot of the times that's very you know it's key because you want to have that student comfortable with you coming up to you, that they're able to ask questions, they're able to approach you. One of the things that I sense and I assess in students is that the first day they're very, very nervous, right, it's their first clinical and you know they see you in a white coat so they're like oh my gosh, like in their heads, like oh my gosh, is he going to be like strict? You know, because you do hear of like nurses eating their young, and so in a way, I try to create that environment where they're felt comfortable to.

Speaker 3: 14:20

You know, come up with, you know, questions. So first I set expectations. I try to create you know, come up with, you know, questions. So first I set expectations, I try to create, you know, that connection with the students and then I tell them the expectations that I'm holding for you, I'm also holding for me. So you also have to set the tone for them that you know what I'm asking you. You also have to, you know, expect of me.

Speaker 2: 14:42

It works both ways, it goes both ways, maggie, you're a certified adjunct here, so that you went through Adjunct Faculty Academy and I think the first portion of that was creating a welcoming environment and understanding your students, hearing their stories. You're doing that Definitely because everybody learns different.

Speaker 3: 15:03

You know, one student can have one personality, another student can have a different personality.

Speaker 1: 15:09

Right.

Speaker 3: 15:09

But you learn to. You know, just see, like, how they learn best, how do they react? Because, once again, like I'm telling you, a person can be an expert you know an expert engineer, but if you don't know how to give feedback to a student, they're going to shut down you right away. They're not going to, you know, you're going to be talking to them and one thing goes through one ear and goes out to the other. So one of the things that instructors don't know is that sometimes they focus on the negative of the student. Right, you always want to start out with hey, you did great on this, you know, very great job, positive on this aspect, and then you want to provide, you know, the feedback, right, so that way they don't feel like you're shutting them down. There's just different techniques that go into the teaching that are very simple, very simple in a way, but some people just don't know how to apply them Right.

Speaker 1: 16:06

And that example you just gave is fantastic, like setting that foundation, like we are all human. Yes, I actually care about you as a person and understanding your why helps me instruct you better, because I can tie in theory and practice. And if you all had this amazing experience because all your family members were sick and the nursing staff came together, like that's something that can bring us all together and if we know that about each other, it's that much easier to work together.

Speaker 3: 16:32

Yeah. So I think that's great because, at the end of the day, I think students learn to respect you more and also they're not afraid to come to you with questions Getting back to about how I do my engagement in the clinical setting. I set my expectations, so I tell them. For today, I want this, this and this.

Speaker 2: 17:03

That's transparent. Teaching the tilt framework.

Speaker 3: 17:06

So I tell them you're going to have this patient by 9 am. I'm going to come around. You're going to tell me why this patient is here. What are we doing for that patient? What medications do we have for that patient? What concerns you the most? I'll be coming around 9. We're going to go in the room and then you're going to walk me through the charts. You're going to walk me through your assessment and then you're going to tell me what's your concern, what's the plan of care that you have for this patient. So I like to keep them engaged. I don't want them just in the unit. I expect them to know that at one point during that day I'm going to come to you and I'm going to ask you what are you doing for this patient?

Speaker 1: 17:58

What's the feedback you've gotten on that from students? Do they feel empowered when you set those expectations and then you actually follow up and give that feedback and you do what you say?

Speaker 3: 18:05

Most definitely. You know at first, you know it's very uncomfortable for them.

Speaker 1: 18:08

Very direct.

Speaker 3: 18:10

It's very uncomfortable for them. But every group of students that I've had have told me thank you so much. Because of you, because you've actually challenged me, I've learned so much and I feel more comfortable going into my role as a nurse in the future. I tell them it isn't like I want to be hard, because you can be hard with a student. I'm not out to get you. I'm not out to get you, but I want to make sure that you're actually learning. This is my job. I want you to become the best professional that you can be. So it gets them out of the comfort zone, but at the end of the day, you know our clinicals are 12 hours or 10 hours.

Speaker 3: 18:47

It's a long day so they're a long day. There's times throughout the day where you have more of a downtime, where, like you've given the medications, it's quiet time, but then during that time, if you want to call it like boredom, they can't get really bored. You know, time goes by fast because they know, by post-conference, I need to have this, this and this. When I come around, they're on the computer looking at labs and asking me questions hey, what do you think about this? What's this medication, you know, type of thing. So that's how I like to keep them engaged in the clinical setting.

Speaker 2: 19:23

So that's the transparent kind of teaching, telling them upfront what they're going to learn that day or what they're going to give that day the constant formative feedback.

Speaker 3: 19:33

I think yes.

Speaker 2: 19:34

So I think there's a number of people who think that assessments are always just tests, exams and final like finality things rather than formative, taken in silence. Yeah, and you're just saying really, all along you're giving them feedback and the formative works both ways probably right. It's not only that they're learning, but you're also learning what they're learning correct and what you need to, maybe where the gaps are.

Speaker 3: 20:02

Yeah, most definitely. That's what I love about my my job. It's because, like we were talking about, the clinical sitting is actually active learning strategies. You actually are applying everything that you've learned from the foundational knowledge in theory to the application in lab, and now you're integrating you know in the clinical setting. So it goes back to the Fink's taxonomy that we were talking about. So I love you know my position but I feel some other adjuncts need to be able to just learn five to 10 different points as to how they can do better assessing students and teaching them.

Speaker 2: 20:41

Yeah, so you mentioned D Fink's taxonomy. In that D Fink talks about significant learning being the overlap of the integration, the application, the foundation knowledge, the human. The human, which is very important in nursing the human, the caring Right Can you tell that to all the doctors I've had? No, most of my doctors have been good. Well, you know, actually that's a good point.

Speaker 3: 21:09

One of the things that I tell my students is that you know you better be in this field because you actually care for people, because if not you're going to be miserable. Because I tell them I can actually tell you how to read labs, how to do assessments, but the human portion and the caring portion that I cannot teach you. So it takes a special type of person to actually so I tell them this is the time where you really have to figure it out. Because they've asked me Professor Gomez, how do you like your job? And I tell them the reason why I became a nurse and also a professor is because I have a passion. So you want to instill that passion in the students and for them to actually be able to learn if this is what's right for them too.

Speaker 2: 21:57

Yeah, I call that a vocation or a calling, rather than just an occupation or career.

Speaker 3: 22:03

Definitely.

Speaker 1: 22:06

I have a question. So clinicals just because your role is so unique and you're like out in the real world with the students um, so you say clinicals they're 10 to 12 hour days, yes, how do you and you get them for, like their first semester of clinicals typically? How do you help and support them? Because me, I know I'd probably cry because my feet hurt and I've been running around for 12 hours straight I've watched a lot of gray's anatomy yeah, so just like, like how do you support them in that transition?

Speaker 1: 22:37

Because they're balancing college and life. In addition to okay, wow, now I'm like next to real people who's like?

Speaker 2: 22:45

their lives are in my hands now. Yeah, the work is a lot harder than we thought.

Speaker 1: 22:49

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 22:50

No, nursing the BSN program is actually no joke. If you actually look it up on google or do research, oh, it's legit. It's probably like in the us. It's like top three of the hardest bachelors that you can actually get, yeah, so it's very demanding yeah very, very demanding.

Speaker 3: 23:07

So for my students, I give them an orientation of the hospital and the units where we're going to be at. I tell them that I'm going to be with them, like I, for example, like I'll have them on a PCU unit. So for those students, like the first week that I have them, I have them all in the same unit and I'm actually in the unit with them. So I tell them I'm here for you, come up to me if you want me to go in the patient's room with you.

Speaker 1: 23:39

You're not bothering me Exactly.

Speaker 3: 23:42

I'm here to actually guide you. I tell them the first day you're not going to know everything. You know it's a learning curve, so don't pressure yourself to know that you're going to be able to do everything, because it's a step-by-step. So once again, I give them a tour of the unit, I tell them who the charge nurse is, I tell them who the nurse that's caring for their patients are, and then I set the clear expectations for them. And then also, you know, with the clear expectations, they know that they're going to have to get vitals on those patients by eight. They have to do an assessment by nine. You know they have to be able to tell me more about what's happening. But once again, it's creating that safe environment where I'm there for them and also them knowing where the medication room, where the crash cart is, where the supply room is.

Speaker 3: 24:42

They don't feel left in the wind, they don't feel left in the wind, and so I'm actually present with them. So they're never, per se, alone. That's the beauty about having eight students is that you can actually you know see them down the hallway, or if you walk across the corner, they're there. So they always know that you're around. Like I said the first day, they're very nervous. I meet with them in a pre-conference. I tell them hey, this is what you're going to expect. We're going to go up now. I'm going to tell you where the lockers are. I'm going to walk you through the unit. I'm going to expect we're going to go up now. I'm going to tell you where the lockers are. I'm going to walk you through the unit, I'm going to introduce you to the staff and so that way they feel more comfortable. They're not just thrown out into the wall, sort of like.

Speaker 1: 25:22

Hey, here you go, Go find the unit. It's like I think I'm supposed to be here.

Speaker 3: 25:34

No, I don't know, though it doesn't happen like that, so that yeah, that would be very shocking for me as a student.

Speaker 2: 25:36

You know, hey, jose, can you give us a couple examples, maybe just some of the most rewarding or heartwarming things that you've experienced doing? You're really pouring into these students, so I'd love to hear how that, just how does that come back to you?

Speaker 3: 25:52

If we're here for FGCU. I've just been here for about two semesters. This is going to be my third semester, so I can talk about like the students that I've had in Tampa Sure. So some of them, you know, have reached out to me for like recommendation letters or they've actually, you know, gotten back to me and they're like Professor Gomez guess what I'm teaching at Tampa General, or, professor Gomez, I actually got this position. There was a student by the name of Austin who actually reached out to me through email and he told me hey, I know this is out of the blue, thank you for the recommendation letter that you wrote. But he said I do appreciate you so much because you not only taught me nursing but you were actually a role model, you know that's great so for me, that is, I want to say so rewarding, because you are creating the next generation of nurses.

Speaker 3: 26:46

Those are people who might be taking care of me or taking care of my family members and, at the end of the day is you know, you want to make your communities better, raise professionals that are going to be an asset to everybody else. So when one of my students gets back to me, hey, because of you I'm able to break the poverty line in my family, or because you pushed me through this and you told me to never give up, I'm actually like the first one to graduate in my family, because back in Tampa the students that I had were most of them were like lower income first, first generation students. So when I see them, you know succeeding and becoming a nurse, that's you know life-changing, breaking cycles and them being able to show to their families that it can be done and that you know they can become a nurse and help out other people. So to and that you know they can become a nurse and help out other people. So to me, that's you know something that money can't really buy.

Speaker 2: 27:54

My sense is that nursing has gotten a lot more difficult and challenging, especially through the last five or six years that we've had. So you were at Tampa General during COVID.

Speaker 1: 28:06

Yes, how was that besides awful?

Speaker 3: 28:10

Those were very tough times mentally and physically you have to work 12 hours but on top of that you know you have to wear equipment going into the rooms that you know cause you to be, you know, sweaty or it's hard to breathe because you have a mask and you know goggles on. So they were very tiring days. A lot of nurses, you know, did get a burnout and quit. So whenever you don't have people show up, you have to pick up the extra slack because obviously somebody has to take care of that patient.

Speaker 2: 28:45

And then you're also dealing with patients that are critically ill and family members who cannot visit.

Speaker 3: 28:52

Most definitely.

Speaker 2: 28:53

And how was that? I mean how.

Speaker 1: 28:56

Just emotionally. For you and the staff, Emotion mean how Just emotionally?

Speaker 3: 28:58

Emotionally it was very draining. I want to tell you that those were probably in my career, I want to say, times that really pushed me to just persevere and to know that you know, hey, like this is really what my calling is, because there were days where you wanted to quit. You know, there were days where, like, can I really do this again? You know, when you have. I worked in the ICU sitting at Tampa General. My unit that I worked in was the COVID unit specifically.

Speaker 2: 29:32

Oh, my goodness.

Speaker 3: 29:33

So you know you had patients that died on you daily. You know, mentally, whenever you have people just dying on you dying one day after the other, you know it messes your mind up. You know you're really like what could have what doing your best. So what I started doing is more physical activity. I started support groups with family members, talking to people who you know were loved ones, who really got me through. But I would say for me, what really just got me through the stress was going for runs and going to the gym.

Speaker 1: 30:20

Taking care of yourself.

Speaker 3: 30:21

Taking care of myself correct. It got very challenging and a lot of nurses did quit during that time and thus the shortage of nurses now.

Speaker 2: 30:31

Maybe this is just a stereotype, jose. Yeah, nurses care for others so much, but I think sometimes self-care comes hard for nurses. It's so true. It's so true, jose. Yeah, nurses care for others so much, but I think sometimes self-care comes hard for nurses.

Speaker 3: 30:40

It's so true. It's so true, John.

Speaker 1: 30:42

You're everything to everyone and I see you all day, not just like for 15 minutes in the morning.

Speaker 3: 30:48

It's so crazy because you know my wife and my family. They tell me that they're like, hey, take it easy, you know, or hey, you need to go to the doctor. Like, take care of yourself, you haven't eaten.

Speaker 2: 31:00

Eat. You figured out how to have enough self-care to get you through that.

Speaker 3: 31:04

Definitely, and that's what I actually like to teach my students. It's the self-care portion too, because going back to the 12-hour clinical days and you know being just meeting the needs of other patients, you really just forget about you. But I tell them hey, in order to care for other people, you also have to feel good, you know, type of thing.

Speaker 1: 31:26

It sounds corny, but it's true.

Speaker 3: 31:29

Take care of yourself, exactly.

Speaker 1: 31:31

How did your perspective change after COVID, or did it in terms of how you approached teaching? Were you teaching during COVID or did that teaching happen after?

Speaker 3: 31:44

It happened after COVID, so how did?

Speaker 1: 31:45

your perspective change when you approach those students after the horror and trauma you just went through just living in the ICU. Yeah, you know. So one of the things that I tell them yeah, you know.

Speaker 3: 31:53

So one of the things that I tell them and I know it's so cliche, maybe, but I tell them don't take it personal. Another saying that I tell them is imagine that you're wearing a hat. I tell them, whenever you come here to the clinical, you put on the clinical hat. Whenever you leave the hospital, you take the hat and you put on the personal hat, where you're thinking about your family, thinking about you, thinking about your pet, your hobbies. You know that's really. You know what I tell them is don't take anything personal, don't take it with you. Talk about things if you need to Do. They ask you about COVID. Yeah, they do, definitely.

Speaker 2: 32:30

Yeah, I bet that would be very valuable to hear your stories about that.

Speaker 3: 32:35

Yeah, definitely, and to know that you know you have somebody who actually pushed through and persevered. You're still in the field and that you're still in the field and like I tell them, hey, what got me through was exercise, support groups and then just taking care of yourself, you know, spending time with yourself.

Speaker 2: 32:52

And how did you get down here from Tampa? I mean Tampa's kind of a nice place to be.

Speaker 3: 32:59

Yeah, it is John.

Speaker 1: 33:01

why are you here? Well?

Speaker 2: 33:03

you know it's not. We're thrilled that you are here we are, but how did you find Cape Coral, we like.

Speaker 3: 33:10

FGCU. But so for me growing up in Tampa, when I was in high school and middle school, it used to be, you know, I would say, still not as big as what it was, so there wasn't as much traffic and also houses were not as expensive. So I was thinking about you know, my future. And then my sister who lives here in the area she told me hey, joseose, like I know you want to buy a house, you're complaining about traffic. She's like come out to check cape coral. So I did and I really liked the. I want to say I know for you guys it might not be like low-key, but for me it kind of is, because tampa now is just booming everybody, yeah, everybody wants to move there.

Speaker 3: 33:54

So I was like I got to get out of here. I can't, I can't stay here any longer. So that's how I came down here. It was kind of because of my sister. As a nurse you have the flexibility literally to move anywhere. So I tell nursing students push through, get your nursing license and degree. Once you do that, you can literally sign your ticket anywhere the world's your oyster exactly you could just say I want to here and you most likely in the next month you can find a job Exactly, and I'm so happy to be here.

Speaker 3: 34:23

I love Cape.

Speaker 1: 34:24

Coral, I love.

Speaker 3: 34:24

FGCU and Lee Health. So, like I tell you, life takes you places where you know sometimes you don't expect it to be.

Speaker 2: 34:31

Exactly, Exactly and even as an adjunct. That was not their career goal, but it happens and it's a great open door. Now we just want to support those who are in that position.

Speaker 3: 34:43

Definitely for sure. So you know, I really look forward to you know if you have any ideas or suggestions and coming up and, you know, working something out. For we can start with the adjuncts, the clinical adjuncts for the College of Nursing.

Speaker 2: 34:57

Absolutely, Jose. Maybe we can create something for them and we can partner up with that we're gonna. That's a for sure thing. Let's get together and really talk through it and see I'd love to what we're offering already, but how we can package it the right way as well as how can we? Deliver it in a way that's going to be most accessible, because we want the best experience for both the adjunct faculty who are doing this and the students, that the growth is across the board.

Speaker 3: 35:27

That's amazing, that's great.

Speaker 2: 35:29

Maggie. Any other thoughts?

Speaker 1: 35:31

I don't think so. This has just been amazing. I don't know much about the nursing world and just like how the curriculum works and how integrated they are out, and also, too, just hearing your story coming from educators and is your master's in nursing education. Yes, definitely so could you touch a little more on that? That's very interesting.

Speaker 2: 35:50

Where did you get that from? Was that USF or?

Speaker 3: 35:53

So I got it through WGU. So I was I actually enrolled in the master's program just a little before COVID.

Speaker 3: 36:03

So it was actually perfect because I didn't have to actually miss school. The master's in nursing that I got, you know, definitely brushes up more on clinical knowledge as a nurse but at the same time it incorporates, you know, the pedagogy and teaching Correct most definitely. So that's what I like about it is because I knew that I didn't want to become a nurse practitioner. I knew that I wanted to teach students. So I said I started researching. Where can I get a master's from that really is going to help me teach my students better? One of my fellow nurses who I've met, she told me to check out WGU which is Western.

Speaker 3: 36:47

Governors University? Okay, I don't know that one. Yeah, it's very large and you can move yeah, definitely and they're great I recommend it to any, you know, anybody who wants to, you know, advance their degrees, you know, to a master's program. They do have really good programs. So that's how I, you know I came into the clinical setting with a master's degree in nursing education.

Speaker 2: 37:14

Well, you are a great value to the nursing program here.

Speaker 3: 37:17

Thank you so much I appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 37:19

Yeah, well, thank you so much, this has been great.

Speaker 1: 37:21

Yes, I'm excited for all our collaboration opportunities now. I know, jose, watch out, my wheels are already turning.

Speaker 2: 37:27

You don't know what you just got sucked into but It'll be good, it'll benefit everybody, I promise.

Speaker 3: 37:32

Well, good, that means that I can come to campus more often.

Speaker 1: 37:34

Oh, yes, it gives me an excuse.

Speaker 2: 37:38

Yeah, we can get together. Well, thanks so much, Maggie. Another good one.

Speaker 1: 37:42

Yes, it's been a pleasure. Thank you so much, Jose.

Speaker 3: 37:44

Thank you guys, Appreciate you. Bye-bye.

Speaker 1: 37:46

Bye y'all, bye-bye, bye-bye, Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye-bye.

Speaker 2: 38:00

Theme music for Adjunct Nation was composed, performed and produced by James Husney. Thank you.