Instead of rest and relaxation over spring break, three students in the College of Health Professions respiratory therapy chose to spend their week doing clinical rotations at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Seniors Nikki Filkins, Claire Ward and Ashley St. John traveled to Boston for extra clinical hours as part of an elective course called Respiratory 450, which allows students to do clinical hours above and beyond the required 810 they need to complete for their BS degrees.

All three have a special interest in pediatric and NICU patients and chose to do their hours at the widely acclaimed Boston Children’s Hospital, where they knew they would get lots of hands-on experiences and exposure to cases and conditions not seen at Upstate.

The three students rotated through the general NICU, a cardiac ICU and the medical-surgical ICU. They did three consecutive 12-hour shifts in each department.

All three dealt with critically ill children, including one who had a heart transplant during their time there, and others with rare conditions or circumstances not seen at Upstate. Filkins said they experienced things they might never see again in their careers. Having the experience of re-taping the tubing of a 23-week-old critically ill baby, for example, she said, will stick with her.

“I feel a little bit more confident going forward in my abilities as a respiratory therapist because I was handling these critical patients,” Filkins said.

The three said the atmosphere in the hospital was welcoming and collaborative and that they were given many opportunities to be involved. The three felt welcomed there immediately when on their first day in Boston they were taking a selfie by the hospital sign when a member of the staff offered to take their picture and welcomed them warmly.

“The hospital workers were so open to students,” Ward said. “They were willing to sit down and take time to teach us things. I had doctors going over things. I had nurses taking their time to explain different procedures,” Ward said. “Having that experience with so many different aspects of the healthcare team showed me how to be open and how to work as a team for a patient’s sake.”

St. John agreed that the level of care for such ill patients was eye opening and that she too will carry what she learned into her work.

“I think what stuck with me the most is how involved and intricate care is for the NICU babies. They require a lot of work, and they are very delicate,” St. John said. “It takes a team to take care of them and Boston does very well as a team.”

Sierra Coyle, director of clinical education, said the students gained valuable experience by spending their break in Boston.

“The students' experience at Boston Children's Hospital has widened their scope on the critical role respiratory therapists play and the value we bring to the multidisciplinary team,” Coyle said. “As one of the best children's hospitals in the world, the students witnessed state-of-the-art technology combined with top-tier clinical practice that I hope encourages them to reach for their full potential as they enter the workforce. Giving up their spring break to work three back-to-back 12-hour shifts highlights their dedication to their education and establishing a strong foundation as a new graduate. 

The trio stayed in a hotel five minutes outside the city and arrived a few days early to get in some sightseeing and shopping. Once their rotations started however, they said they were so worn out they ate food from Door Dash in their sweats at their hotel.

The three said they met a good number of respiratory therapists who were graduates of Upstate. They agreed they could all see themselves working in Boston at some point in their careers and are all grateful for the opportunity they just had.

Upon graduating, Ward and St. John have accepted jobs at Upstate and Filkins at the Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown.

The Respiratory Therapy degree program in Upstate’s College of Health Professionals grants the bachelor of science degree in respiratory care, a 22-month program that equips students for entry-level as well as advanced-level practice. Graduates are eligible to earn the credential of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT). The program accepts up to 30 students.

One other student from the program, Max Naples, did clinical hours over break at Rochester General Hospital.

Find more information about the RT program here.

Caption: Three College of Health Professions seniors, from left Nikki Filkins, Claire Ward and Ashley St. John, spent their Spring Break getting clinical hours at Boston's Children's Hospital.