MWSU presents lab backed by Mosaic
Nov. 11—Missouri Western State University and Mosaic Life Care formally unveiled a new space on Thursday for the sciences of respiratory therapy.
This is considered a wise investment in the wake of a pandemic virus known to attack the heart and lungs that also times with the oncoming peak of influenza season and a recent flareup in infantile RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus. Crystal Harris, interim dean of the College of Science and Health, conducted a tour of the new interprofessional laboratory. That followed a ribbon-cutting that featured university leaders, Mosaic executives and governmental figures such as Mayor John Josendale and state Sen. Dan Hegeman.
"All right, first off, the world needs more respiratory therapists," said David Northrop, director of the new Bachelor of Science in respiratory therapy program. "There's not enough health care providers out there and respiratory therapy is short as it is."
A total of 24 students can study at any one time in Northrop's baccalaureate program that is designed to produce qualified professionals who are ready for state licensure immediately after they get their degree. This is a relatively rapid course of study compared to most medical fields.
Kacey Duvall, a junior from St. Joseph and Central High School alumna, said she expects the working environment will certainly be a challenge given that COVID-19 still causes hospitalizations. As a registered respiratory therapist, or RRT, she will be responsible for a variety of patients who have serious cardiopulmonary conditions.
Some RRTs work in the emergency room, others in a clinical setting, and still others participate in sleep studies and other longer-scope remedies. Duvall said she expects she will be made ready for it all.
"Being able to do things at Missouri Western hands on, and then go to clinical, even just from what we learned in the classroom, I feel pretty confident," she said.
Fiona Sansone, co-director along Dean Harris of the MWSU Center for Excellence in Applied Health Care Learning, said the interprofessional laboratory looks to rapidly address the community's needs for qualified workers in the emergency, urgent care and therapeutic settings.
"We do have a health care workforce shortage, so throughout their undergraduate experience if we can we try to engage them in the workforce early," Sansone said.
The laboratory is ultimately a product, in part, of a $500,000 gift from Mosaic Life Care and the Mosaic Life Care Foundation that was contributed to the university. The money supplemented a grant of just over $444,000 from the State of Missouri.
Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem
