Keeping schools open, and students and staff healthy, has been a tremendous challenge throughout the COVID pandemic. To that end, the North Colonie School District - which does not have the benefit of being a fully vaccinated community like Siena - has enlisted the help of Siena College students to conduct testing at their district’s offices, just a stone’s throw from campus.
It’s a case of neighbor helping neighbor keep the eight K-12 school buildings open and running. During cold and flu season, it’s likely that students and teachers will develop symptoms like a cough, sore throat or fever that are similar to the symptoms of COVID. The district's goal has been to keep schools open for in-person learning, with health and safety as the priority. Testing appointments or home tests can be hard to come by, so Shaker began providing free diagnostic PCR testing for their symptomatic students and staff last fall. Results for the oral swab tests they use are typically available within 48 hours. They are now also distributing rapid antigen tests to students in the district.
It’s been an ongoing struggle for school districts to manage testing during the pandemic,” said Michael Michela, nursing supervisor for North Colonie. “Our staff of RNs already had a huge amount of work, but it was crucial that we offer testing. The Siena students have been doing a great job for us with testing and management of samples, which allows them to use their training and education.”
Kathleen Skeals, deputy superintendent of North Colonie, hit upon the idea last fall to hire students from Siena’s School of Science, who could gain practical experience to supplement their coursework. Superintendent D. Joseph Corr ‘73 reached out to his alma mater and the partnership was born.
“This partnership between North Colonie and Siena is a great solution to a complex matter -- managing COVID-19 in our district,” he said. “As a proud Siena alumnus, I knew the College would step up to help us. In addition to the Siena students gaining experience, it’s a great way for our students to see college peers doing hands-on work that’s relevant to their programs of study.”
Patricia Skeals Comas, COVID testing clinic manager at Shaker, said the Siena team will continue its work this semester.
“Their commitment to the clinic itself and to the North Colonie community has been outstanding and inspirational,” she said.
North Colonie was one of the first school districts in the Capital Region to get an on-site testing clinic up and running.
Hannah Fuller ’22, Marissa Ieraci ’22 and Rachel Murphy ’22 are all studying in Siena’s dual degree nursing program.
“I answered the call to work at North Colonie to further develop my knowledge in COVID-19 as a future nurse of America, and to assist others and their children during this stressful time,” said Fuller. “This is helping with my nursing education because I have developed knowledge in COVID-19, which impacts nurses in everyday life and work.”
Ieraci, who is a Colonie resident, wanted to use her nursing knowledge to give back to her home community.
“I wanted to make an impact where I live,” she said. “Despite all the challenges, the pandemic has brought awareness, too. As a new grad nurse, working at this facility has allowed me to further expand my knowledge on the importance of how to minimize the spread of disease."
Murphy echoed the importance of helping the community.
“Being a part of the COVID-19 team in North Colonie has given me the opportunity to help others, as well as to familiarize myself with COVID-19 protocols and procedures,” she said. “This experience will help me when dealing with COVID-19 and infectious diseases in my future career as a nurse.”
Jenna Thate, Ph.D. associate professor of nursing and department chair, worked with these students last semester in Siena’s Public Health course and acknowledges the challenges and opportunities of studying nursing during the COVID pandemic.
“Our students have overcome challenges of distance learning and halted clinical experiences, seeking to prepare to enter the nursing profession in a time when our world is depending on the compassionate, whole-person care they will bring,” said Thate. “One way they have done this is by welcoming opportunities to extend their learning while serving the community through staffing vaccine clinics and supporting testing efforts. We are thrilled to see our students serving in our community while finishing their degree and we are grateful for their desire to continue to serve in their chosen profession of nursing."