Cuesta College nursing students volunteer to work at COVID-19 Cal Poly Alternate Care Site

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.- Cuesta College is offering its nursing students to step up during the coronavirus pandemic by volunteering at the Cal Poly Alternate Care Site. Students will help run the facility and care for COVID-19 patients.

Cuesta College nursing student Cassandra Hook will be one of many students volunteering to work at the Cal Poly alternate care site, where final preparations continue.

“It really is a great opportunity for us to help serve our community and stay with in the area. To be able to be of service and care for the patients who do end up in that facility,” said Hook.

The Cuesta nursing program has teamed up with the SLO County Medical Reserve Corp to place the students.

“They will get full credit for hours that they volunteer inside the alternate hospital to fulfill their requirement with the board of nursing to complete the RN program at Cuesta College,” said the Director the Cuesta College nursing program Marcia Scott.

The school is placing 2nd year and graduate nursing students at the facility.

“We are also placing students in the facility to help our community. Where students will be able to provide comfort and emotional support to patients,” said Scott.

Cuesta says students will get valuable hands-on training and fulfill their clinical hours needed to graduate.

Scott says she has been trained to work with patients in isolation and is confident she and her fellow classmates are ready for the task at hand.

“It is my job to put personal emotions aside and stand by the nursing code of ethics and take care of the people who need you the most,” said Scott.

The school has yet to set a date the students will start working and are still working on the details.