School of Nursing

March 6, 2020

Novel Coronavirus information and going virtual

Acknowledging President Ana Mari Cauce’s message about addressing the growing concerns of the spread of the novel coronavirus, the UW School of Nursing (Seattle campus) will proactively shift ALL normal operations of the staff, student, and faculty to virtual environments commencing Monday, March 9. Please note, going virtual there will be no disruption to our normal operations. Our capacity to embrace technological advancements in instructional design and remote access will ensure the best care for the health of our nursing and campus community.

The UW School of Nursing is committed to promoting collaboration, social responsibility, integrity, respect, and diversity, and now more than ever is the time to demonstrate our values in action. We ask you to represent the exemplar nursing community we have built together and approach these uncertain times with confidence, compassionate care, understanding, and support to those in need. Continue to share reliable sources of information and assuage growing fears through your exceptional training. Each day is an opportunity to serve as an ambassador for the essential role nurses provide in our healthcare workforce.

We want to reassure our campus community that you are supported by one of the strongest healthcare systems in the world. Seattle-King County Public Health continue to advise that the risk to the broader Seattle campus community is believed to be low. UW and SON’s immediate focus is to support students and employees, and as such, we are proud to be at the forefront of taking measures which ensure the safety of our campus community and family members. However, this situation remains fluid and not without the potential for minor interruptions. During these initial stages, we want to encourage students, instructors, and staff to create safe spaces for making mistakes as we continually evolve the process.

Today, you will receive follow-up emails from the SoN Executive Team with specific details regarding moving forward as a student, staff, and faculty member. Additionally, we are in progress to offer a SoN website which will provide School specific responses to your questions regarding the shift to virtual operations.

We will continue to communicate with you as more information is made available to us. For the most up-to-date information, please continue to follow UW’s Novel Coronavirus information site.

Lastly, I want to call attention to the impressive depth of dedication and collaboration from leadership, faculty, and staff in coming together to protect and better serve our campus community. Our team had already created contingency plans to readily make this transition with ease, and I am proud to be reminded we are among the most forward-thinking nursing professionals in the world. Together, we will set a precedence for resilience and innovation in helping minimize this global public health concern.