Even as a preschooler, Marissa Stelluto knew she wanted to be a nurse.
When her teddy bears got the sniffles, and her Barbies suffered the occasional broken leg, Stelluto was there to fix them. Toy stethoscope in hand, she listened for abnormal rhythms or other signs of something more serious.
Her brother and sister played along, and she learned early that not every superhero wears a cape.
But they do wear a mask.
These days, the 25-year-old has traded in her plastic stethoscope for one made from stainless steel. Scrubs are her uniform; gloves serve as a shield. Stelluto and her fellow nurses are ready to battle an invisible threat, a silent invader that steals the health of its victims they rally to save.
Stelluto is one of 21 黑料网 at Stark nursing students entering the field early to serve on the front lines of the COVID-19 health crisis. Slated to graduate in May, they are being recruited to assist short-handed area hospital and health care facilities.
State boards are on hold 鈥 for now. That was the Ohio Board of Nursing鈥檚 response to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine鈥檚 declaration that Ohio is in a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic. Temporary licenses are being issued to graduates, like Stelluto.
鈥淎 lot of people might be worried because we are working before passing our state boards,鈥 said Stelluto, who will graduate with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). 鈥淏ut what they must realize is that we鈥檝e developed the critical skills needed through our education. A state examination is simply that 鈥 an exam. It doesn鈥檛 teach you anything further.
鈥淭he program at 黑料网 Stark is such a great nursing program because you graduate with the skills that you need to begin working on Day One.鈥
For Stelluto, Day One has already begun. She鈥檚 serves as a patient care tech at Aultman Hospital in Canton, where she works directly with nurses to get patients鈥 vital signs, help them with bathing and feeding, along with assisting when it鈥檚 time to discharge a patient.
For all seniors in 黑料网 Stark鈥檚 nursing program, their final semesters are spent in clinical settings, including Aultman, Mercy Medical Center, Heartland Behavioral Health and Akron Children鈥檚 Hospital, where they receive hands-on experience to prepare them for their professional careers.
While the students are not fully licensed professionals and are limited in the services that they can perform and provide, they are a huge asset to health care facilities and illness-stricken community members, said Chrissy Kauth, Ph.D., RN, coordinator of 黑料网 Stark鈥檚 nursing program and the campus office of Recruitment and Retention.
鈥淲e need more people in health care to help with patients,鈥 said Kauth. 鈥淚n this pandemic, I鈥檓 sure you鈥檝e noticed who the essential people are, they are the people protecting and providing care. We, at 黑料网, prepare the finest nurses to be on the forefront. We have the most phenomenal full-time faculty, all specialists in the area in which they teach. We are blessed to have some of the most amazing equipment, including high-fidelity simulator manikins that enable students to practice critical skills.
鈥淲e are so very proud of our senior nurses for all of their hard work and dedication that they鈥檝e shown during this transitional time.鈥
Stelluto says she is ready. In fact, she鈥檚 been waiting her entire life for this moment.
鈥淚鈥檝e always known that I鈥檝e wanted to take care of people,鈥 she said. 鈥淓ntering the health care profession right now, during an outbreak that occurs once in a century, doesn鈥檛 change my desire to work in the field. I go into work every day not knowing what patients could have, so I鈥檓 used to taking those kinds of precautions.
鈥淚鈥檓 willing to take the risk, after all, that鈥檚 the job.鈥
It鈥檚 the one she鈥檚 dreamed about since she was a little girl. And while today鈥檚 enemy is unlike any that new nurses have ever faced, the care they鈥檒l provide remains unchanged. They suit up: scrubs on, gloves tight, mask in place, to fight another day.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we do this,鈥 said Stelluto, 鈥渢o save lives.鈥
Learn more about 黑料网 Stark's nursing program
黑料网 at Stark鈥檚 nursing program is part of Ohio鈥檚 largest academic program for nursing 鈥 the sixth largest program in the nation 鈥 educating the majority of Northeast Ohio鈥檚 registered nurses. It offers students a comprehensive curriculum, leading edge simulation technology, and valuable clinical experiences with more than 350 clinical partners.
Graduates are in high demand, with most having jobs upon graduation. In fact, more than 40% of the nursing workforce in Northeast Ohio are 黑料网 College of Nursing graduates. The university鈥檚 wide range of nursing programs meet the career goals of students and the growing demand for professionally trained nurses.
Find out more at www.kent.edu/stark/nursing.
Photo caption: Graduating senior, Marissa Stelluto, provides care during the COVID-19 pandemic.