Final-year students on the degrees in Nursing and Physiotherapy, and Medicine are available to help with health issues
The faculties of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Medicine and Science at the University of the Balearic Islands today handed over to health authorities common material and resources used in research and practicals at laboratories and mock clinical sessions at the university.
These faculties prepared a product inventory including masks, swabs, protective goggles, single-use gloves, overalls and waterproof gear, and disinfectants.
This step has been taken to help health authorities monitor and take decisions, in accordance with Order SND/234/2020 of 15th March on making provisions, taking containment measures and sending information to the Ministry of Health in light of the health crisis due to SARS-CoV-2.
In turn, different initiatives have been implemented so that final-year students in the Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, and volunteer students from the Faculty of Medicine, can help with health and social care.
Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy
In the case of Nursing, the Association of Nursing School Directors of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Andorra (ADEIC) has issued a joint statement regarding the publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE) of Order SND/232/2020 of 15th March 2020 that sets out measures on human and material resources to manage the health crisis due to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. One of the planned measures is to hire, where required, final-year students on nursing degrees.
The ADEIC and the National Association of Nursing Students (AEEE) have agreed that:
1. 'Final-year nursing students are the last resort. Beforehand, the measures should contemplate the contracts of registered nurses being extended; nurses who have registered to take the IIR (specialised registered nursing) exam this year being incorporated; nurses with a degree currently undergoing certification being activated; professionals on leave being brought back, and contracts for part-time nursing professionals being lengthened'.
2. Final-year students who wish to work should always be volunteers and only do so if absolutely necessary.
In the case of the Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, there are currently 130 final-year nursing students across the different university centres: Majorca (108), Minorca (7) and Ibiza and Formentera (15). The Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy shall hand over the details of students who wish to be contacted to the Regional Department of Health.
In turn, lecturers at the faculty who are health professionals have also voluntarily offered their services to the Regional Department of Health, if so required. This activity is being coordinated by the College of Nursing of the Balearic Islands (COIBA).
UIB Faculty of Medicine
With regard to the UIB Faculty of Medicine, students have also voluntarily organised themselves to provide health and social care support at health centres and hospitals. As this is a voluntary gesture, students on other courses at the UIB have also offered to help if so required. Over 500 students have registered so far, and the number rises every day.
Publication date: Fri Mar 20 15:47:00 CET 2020
