Avera Queen of Peace, SDSU Partner on Respiratory Care
Avera Queen of Peace is partnering with the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Respiratory Care Program to provide respiratory therapy education and hands-on clinical training in Mitchell as part of an initiative to strengthen rural health care workforce development. This professional training year consists of respiratory-specific coursework, lectures, labs and clinical experiences.
Avera Queen of Peace will host up to eight students annually. The upcoming cohort which started in May will include two students. They will receive extensive hands-on learning opportunities alongside Avera’s team of respiratory care and medical professionals. Clinical experiences at Avera Queen of Peace will include medical-surgical care, emergency department experiences, ICU patient care and pulmonary function testing.
Specialized experiences including neonatal intensive care, pediatric intensive care and dedicated intensive care rotations will take place at facilities in Sioux Falls.
Additional experiences will include tracheostomy training and home ventilator care through Avera Home Medical Equipment and an inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation center.
“We are grateful to partner with Avera Queen of Peace to offer our respiratory care program in the Mitchell community,” said Ranae Phinney, clinical instructor for the SDSU Respiratory Care Program. “We are committed to increasing access to education for students through partnerships. Our goal is to help build a rural workforce pipeline for the respiratory care profession.”
Phinney serves as the clinical instructor for the program at Avera Queen of Peace. She teaches clinical and lab courses on-site while facilitating hybrid lecture courses delivered online. Weekly lab sessions focused on respiratory equipment and patient care skills will also take place at Avera Queen of Peace. In addition to supporting student education, Phinney will also help develop a breathing program for Avera Queen of Peace’s pulmonary rehabilitation services.
“Avera Queen of Peace will provide these students with hands-on, real-life events,” said Julie Hoffmann, Vice President of Patients Services. “We are small enough where we will get to know them by name yet large enough to give them a wide range of experiences, so they are well-prepared for their careers after graduation.”
Avera Queen of Peace provides strong support for the program with respiratory therapists on-site 24/7. Leadership supporting the initiative includes Stephanie London, Cardiopulmonary Director, and June Kelly, manager of respiratory therapists at Avera Queen of Peace.