In Nursing, the Learning Never Stops

The learning never stops for healthcare professionals. Whether it’s perfecting a new skill on the job or taking classes to meet continuing education requirements, healthcare workers are always expanding their knowledge.

That’s always true, but never more so than now.

Right now, everybody needs to understand some basics about the disease COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus that spreads it. People need to know how to identify symptoms, what to do if they are sick, and how to protect themselves and others from the spread of the virus.

That’s where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) come in. Established in 1946, the CDC is the country’s focal point for understanding and preventing the spread of disease.

During the pandemic, the CDC is the first place many news organizations, health administrators, and everyday people turn for health information. The CDC website, cdc.gov, features the coronavirus on its homepage.

The easily navigable page offers answers to frequently asked questions in two main sections: “How to Protect Yourself” and “What to do if you are Sick.” There is an overall briefing on the pandemic, along with helpful information about symptoms, testing, prevention and coping with social-isolation guidelines. It’s worth anybody’s time.

Here’s the best part for people  interested in health careers: The CDC launched a separate education page specifically designed to give nurses and other professionals guidance about the coronavirus.

For nurses and healthcare professionals, there are detailed articles on the various kinds of respirators; ways to optimize limited supplies of personal protective equipment and specifics of infection control. There’s even a spreadsheet to keep track of how quickly an organization is using its supply of personal protective equipment like masks, gloves, gowns, and face shields.

Many of us will not be certified in time to make use of all of these tips. But whether we need them right now or not, staying abreast of the latest developments is a habit that has been serving health professionals very well for generations.

And it all starts with education. Are you interested in building the foundation of knowledge that launches a rewarding lifelong journey of learning? Click here for more information on the medical programs offered at Northwestern College!