FLORIDA — The University of South Florida College of Nursing has launched a virtual training series to support nurses working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assistant Professor Rayna Letourneau, PhD, RN, says she saw an urgent and clear need for more resources to keep nurses safe.

“The health and wellness of our nursing workforce is definitely an issue," she said. "And the pandemic is just exacerbating all of these problems, so we really have an opportunity to make an impact and help care for our workforce."

More than 400 nurses have already signed up to participate, including some from Orlando Health. The training is designed to help nurses manage the challenges of taking care of COVID-19 patients while working longer hours and extra shifts. 

Orlando Health ER nurse Rossie Rodriguez, who works at Health Central Hospital, sees the value in the training.

“It’s very hard sometimes to try to deal with everything going on during the pandemic, and also trying to work in the pandemic and it’s emotionally and mentally exhausting sometimes,” she said.

The continuing education series will focus on topics like self-care and individuals taking care of their own mental and physical health.

"I hope that nurses come out of this training with increased empowerment to know how to advocate for their own safety, and some knowledge and reflection if they are in some situations that are not ideal," Letourneau said. "How can they handle those types of situations so they are the best that they can be for their patients.”

The CDC reports suicide as the 10th leading cause of death in America, and the rate is even higher for nurses. Additionally, thousands of nurses have died from COVID-19 around the world. Letourneau sees this new online training as a real way to improve those numbers.

The continuing education series is being offered to nurses for free.