Quincy Reporter

Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing issued the following announcement on April 15.

The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors are the utmost importance. We are continuing to monitor the situation and taking precautions to minimize risks.

The College is coordinating with the Blessing Infection Prevention team who are working with federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to educate itself on the identification and treatment of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

An African proverb states: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Together, the College community are doing amazing things! You are a vital part of this community. We have taken decisive action to protect students, faculty, staff, and our communities. We have adapted our programs very quickly to ensure classes, clinical, and our mission continues. Faculty are united in decision making related to any changes and staff have been very flexible in identifying ways to continue meeting all student needs.

The following decisions were recommended by faculty and approved by the College Senate on Friday, March 27.

All BRCN classes will continue online or virtual through the end of the Spring, 2020 semester (May 1).

PSA’s are waived through the Spring, 2020 semester (May 1).

Finals will be May 4 through May 7. These will be online. Your instructor will give you guidance.

Sophomore clinicals will be online or virtual through the end of the Spring, 2020 semester (May 1).

Junior clinicals will be online or virtual through the end of the Spring, 2020 semester (May 1).

Senior clinicals:

NSG 402 – Clinicals will be online or virtual through the end of the Spring, 2020 semester (May 1)

NSG 409 – Clinicals will be online or virtual through the end of the Spring, 2020 semester (May 1)

NSG 405 – Manager Days – will be reduced to four to six hours and will be arranged through your instructor; other clinical days will be online or virtual

NSG 428 – Capstone – hours will be reduced to no more than 24; this will be arranged through your instructor.

Graduation will be on Friday, May 8, 2020 in a virtual format via StageClip. Please contact Scott Geschwandner, Student Services Office at sgeschwandner@brcn.edu – or call him at ext. 6990 if you have any questions. Students graduating in Spring, 2020 will be welcome to participate in the December ceremony if they choose in addition to May.

The Alumni Banquet scheduled on April 25, 2020 has been cancelled per the request of our Alumni Association Board. We will celebrate the 1970 and the 1971 classes together in April, 2021.

How Coronavirus spreads

Each of us is the first line of defense in reducing the risk for coronavirus. That’s because its symptoms, transmission, treatment and recovery are similar to influenza. Coronavirus is spread from person-to-person by respiratory droplets, such as when someone coughs or sneezes. Both the flu and COVID-19 cause mild to moderate respiratory illness, though some cases have been severe. COVID-19 symptoms usually appear two to 14 days after initial exposure to the disease.

To help protect yourself, take the following steps to reduce your risk of infection from COVID-19, the flu or even the common cold:

Wash your hands frequently.

Avoid touching your face.

Avoid contact with others who are sick.

Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and immediately dispose of the tissue and wash your hands.

Stay home if you are sick.

This page will feature updated information as needed.

In the following links you will find more helpful information to reduce the risk for contracting COVID-19.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Original source can be found here.