“This plan has been reviewed by the State Council of Higher Education and has been found to be compliant in containing the required components of the ‘Higher Education Reopening Guidance,’ which was developed in consultation with the Virginia Department of Health.”

The plan is updated on December 14, 2020 and March 18 2021 and SCHEV was notified on December 14, 2020 and March 18, 2021
Link to the plan in a PDF format

As articulated by Governor Ralph Northam on June 11, 2020, in anticipation that conditions at the state, regional and local levels are conducive to an institution of higher education conducting in-person instruction and on-campus educational operations in academic year 2020-21, that institution must, by July 6, 2020, submit a campus reopening plan for state compliance review. This plan is developed in adherence to the Higher Education Reopening Guidance by State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and submitted to SCHEV in June 2020.

Link to the plan in a PDF format

Link to the Virginia Department of Health

The College Executive Council serves as the primary COVID-19 decision-maker for reopening the campus to students. This team includes the college president; dean for academic affairs; dean for institutional effectiveness, distance education, and compliance; associate dean for administration and finance; assistant dean for enrollment management; assistant dean for student services; and customer development advisor. The plan coordinator is the president of the college. This team is assisted in the development and implementation of the plan by the College Leadership Team, which includes the chair for allied health, chair for nursing, director for continuing education, director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning; and the college librarian.

The college president is a part of meetings in Sentara Healthcare and meetings with healthcare leaders and leaders in higher education on an ongoing basis. She is a member of the Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Executive Leadership Team and the Sentara Healthcare Nurse Executive Council. Communication is maintained with the Sentara Incident Command Center, the governor’s office, the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), the Virginia Board of Nursing (VBON), and the Virginia Association of Colleges of Nursing (VACN). This communication ensures that decisions are made with the most up to date information.

As decisions are finalized, communication is managed by the college president through the “Coronavirus Update for Students” and the “Coronavirus Update for Faculty and Staff” emails. Students, faculty, and staff are alerted to the updated communication via emergency alert text and phone calls, where they are instructed to visit the communication in the campus email.

Questions may be directed to the Sentara College COVID-19 hotline at covid19@sentara.edu or Sentara’s COVID-19 Call Center at 1-833-945-2395. The Call Center will direct you to appropriate resources based on nurses' evaluations, answer questions about signs and symptoms based on current CDC guidelines, provide information on Sentara policies, and Sentara’s COVID-19 response. The local health department is also able to provide information on COVID-19; the Chesapeake Health Department is open Monday through Friday except government holidays from 8:15 am to 5:00 pm (by appointment only). Most services continue to be offered online (chesapeakehd@vdh.virginia.gov) and via phone (757-382-8631).

For questions regarding courses and clinical, students should contact their instructor(s)

Determinants of Phases of Campus Reopening

Phase I:

Decrease in flu-like symptoms and COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days; decrease in the number of cases or positive COVID-19 tests (May 15, 2020)

• Phased return to work with enhanced social/physical distancing, increased cleaning, and signs posted to communicate rules of workplace safety

• Limited gatherings of no more than 10 people

• Close common areas

• Continued telework for vulnerable populations

• Use of face masks

• Temperature checks and screening per Sentara and VDH

  • Positive symptom screening will be documented on a log that is utilized by Sentara Healthcare

  • This log will be submitted to Sentara Occupational Health for employees and the Virginia Department of Health for students and visitors for tracking and contact tracing

• No non-essential business travel

• Meetings to be held virtually

• No gatherings in the lounges / alumni room; no ceremonies to be held in person
  

Phase II:

No rebound in cases and sustained meeting of gating criteria, from phase I (June 22, 2020)

• College open regular business hours

• Remain sensitive to staff and students with childcare, adult, and elder care needs.

• Special accommodations for work during the COVID-19 pandemic will be given for vulnerable populations; individuals (e.g., 65 years or older, underlying health conditions); the remainder of the staff to return to work unless furloughed or approved for telework by manager .

• Keep common areas closed

• Continued use of face masks and temperature checks (per Sentara’s and VDH recommendation)

• Gatherings limited to no more than 50 people, with social distancing

• Resume non-essential business travel

• Schools can open and students return to campus for skills labs and simulation and to clinical experiences

• Meetings and events >/= 50 people to be held virtually

Phase III:

Tentative date: January 2021

• Resume normal business operations. Reasonable accommodations for work during the COVID-19 pandemic will be given for vulnerable individuals (e.g., 65 years or older, underlying health conditions); the remainder of the staff to return to work unless furloughed or approved for telework by manager

• No gathering of more than 10 people (the presence of more than 10 individuals performing functions of their employment or assembled in an educational instructional setting is not a “gathering”)

• Recommend that meetings be held virtually

• All rooms at the college open with limits

Phase IV:

• Resume normal staffing at work. Reasonable accommodations for work during the COVID-19 pandemic will be given for vulnerable individuals (e.g., 65 years or older, underlying health conditions); the remainder of the staff to return to work unless furloughed or approved for telework by manager

• No ban on gatherings, but limit crowds.

• Limited physical distancing in large venues

• All meetings to be held in person

• Resume college-wide meetings/employee events with appropriate social distancing

• All rooms at the college open; large events reviewed as needed

College Offices and Departments Reopening by Phase

Open this link to see the information

Programs and Classes for Spring 2021 Semester

Didactic classes for Nursing, Cardiovascular Technology, Surgical Technology, and Patient Care Technician at the Chesapeake campus will be taught in a hybrid format. Monitor Surveillance at the Chesapeake campus and Patient Care Technician at Sentara RMH will be taught in the classroom employing social distancing. Students will be on campus for skills labs and simulation, and they will be in the clinical settings for clinical experiences. All classrooms and skills labs have been evaluated for social distancing; capacity limits and seating arrangements have been identified. Students in clinical settings will sign a waiver, required by the Virginia Secretary of Education, and will be given the opportunity to delay their clinical experiences and their graduation date. Sentara College of Health Sciences will make it a priority to ensure the safety of vulnerable individuals (e.g., 65 years or older, underlying health conditions) through alternate learning assignments as able and approval of leaves of absence.

All new students will receive COVID-19 prevention (such as handwashing, staying at home if ill, cleaning and disinfecting, masks and face coverings, social distancing) and anti-stigma training (COVID-19 individuals), and college protocols in the New Student Orientation, which will be provided to new students virtually. At the beginning of the Spring 2021 semester, all faculty, staff, and students will be required to complete a computer-based module on COVID-19 prevention (such as handwashing, staying at home if ill, cleaning and disinfecting, masks and face coverings, social distancing) and anti-stigma training for COVID-19 positive individuals, and college protocols for managing COVID-19.

To bring students back to campus for hybrid format, the chairs and director met and devised an action plan that will ensure ongoing implementation of requirements related to social distancing, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and cleanliness of the classroom, simulation, and skills environment.

Should there be a pandemic recurrence and the need to shut down campus activities again (based on directives from the state government), all didactic classes will continue to be taught online. Skills labs and simulations will be converted to online, as appropriate for the discipline. Clinical activities will be converted to online, as able, or will be delayed until students are able to return to the clinical setting again.

There is an Interim Policy During COVID-19 currently in place and available online at www.sentara.edu in the Student Handbook. This policy
addresses Leave of Absence, Satisfactory Academic Progress, and Clinical.

General Guidelines for Being on Campus by Phase

Phase II

Phase II begins on June 22, 2020.

During Phase 2, employees of the college may return to campus during posted business hours. Currently, those hours are Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. The main entrance to the college will be unlocked during these hours, and employee badges will be set to allow all staff and students to move through the building as usual. Specific work schedules will be determined by each department manager. The following guidelines were approved by the College Leadership Team on June 10, 2020.

In preparation for coming on campus, please consider the following: Have you experienced symptoms such as cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and/or fever equal to or greater than 100.0? If so, we are asking you to stay home from work, clinical rotations, skills lab, and simulation. No person who is sick or has been exposed to anyone confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19 is permitted in the college.

If you have reason to believe that you have experienced community exposure to COVID-19, you must:

• Employee: Contact Employee Health Services prior to returning to work

• Student: Self-quarantine for 14 days. If asymptomatic after that time period, you can return to class/clinical

Everyone is expected to follow the CDC-recommended prevention methods and monitor for a change in symptoms. While at home, if you experience two of the three symptoms (fever 100.0 degrees or higher, cough, shortness of breath), please contact Sentara’s COVID-19 Call Center at 1-833-945-2395. The Call Center will direct you to appropriate resources based on nurses’ evaluations, answer questions about signs and symptoms based on current CDC guidelines, provide information on Sentara policies, and our COVID-19 response. The Call Center will also provide information for contacting the Virginia Department of Health or local health departments as needed.

While on campus:

Masks and Face Coverings

• All faculty, staff, students and visitors must wear a cloth face covering or mask at all times while on campus

• Faculty and staff are asked to bring their own mask; however, if a faculty or staff member arrives without a mask, one will be provided

• Students and visitors are expected to arrive for appointments with a face covering or mask. If they show up without a mask they must be turned away at the door

• For those individuals who are unable to wear a face mask due to health conditions, it will be mandatory that they wear a face shield

Social Distancing

• Everyone must adhere to the social distancing requirement of six feet of space between two individuals

• Face-to-face meetings on campus must limit group sizes to 50 and observe the six-foot social distancing requirement. Classroom and meeting room capacities have been determined and all employees are expected to adhere to the capacity limits. Congregating in the hallways is not permitted

○ Individuals scheduled to meet with staff on-site may bring one visitor as needed

○ College staff need to remind potential visitors of the expectations outlined in these guidelines

• Students and visitors may bring a beverage and/or snack into the classroom or meeting room if the meeting organizer approves

• The vending machines, refrigerator, and appliances in the student lounge will be available for student use. Seating is limited and students are expected to wipe down tables, chairs, and appliances after each use

• The employee lounge will be available and has a current capacity of five individuals.

Screening

• All faculty, staff, students, and visitors will need to be screened when they arrive to campus for symptoms and temperature on a daily basis

• A team member will be scheduled to conduct screenings for visitors, students, faculty, and staff upon arrival

• The interior door leading into the hallway (between the reception desk and fishbowl) may be propped open while receiving groups of students and visitors. The door must be closed after everyone has arrived

Cleaning and Disinfecting

• Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes will be available throughout the college while supplies last

• Frequent handwashing with soap and water is strongly encouraged

• Faculty and staff are expected to wipe desks, table tops, and workspaces before and when they have completed a meeting or activity in a classroom or meeting room (students can assist with this). Wipes will be available in each room while supplies last

• Transwestern, our leasing company, continues to work with their service provider to ensure that all janitorial staff are trained in the proper use of PPE and CDC guidelines

• Cleaning services have been reviewed and enhanced to allow for increased frequency of cleaning common areas and high touch locations. The janitorial staff has been using CDC/EPA approved cleaning products since January 2020, and additional day staff was added in March 2020 to focus on high touch areas

Students Returning to Clinical

Effective June 9, 2020, nursing and PCT students are allowed and welcomed to return to the clinical setting. Students and faculty are required to sign waivers prior to entering the clinical unit or department. Procedural masks and eye protection will be provided by Sentara on the unit; however, students and faculty are required to wear a community mask upon entry into the facility.

Although Echo students will return to campus for skills lab in mid-July, CVT and ST students will not return to the clinical setting until August. Normal PPE will be provided by Sentara to CVT and ST students at that time.

Students will not be assigned to COVID+, suspected COVID, or isolation patients at this time in an effort to conserve PPE for staff who are required to care for those patients. Please know that students have the option to delay their return to the clinical, but this delay must be discussed with faculty and college officials to ensure that the impact of the delay is understood by all. Students considered to be vulnerable individuals (65 years or older or have underlying health conditions) should consult with their physicians regarding their ability to continue in their healthcare program.

Students, faculty, or staff who become symptomatic while on campus will be quarantined in a private location until arrangements can be made for them to leave campus and get tested and self-quarantine as recommended by the Sentara COVID-19 Call Center or the VDH.

Phase III and IV

The date to begin Phase III is January 2021. The date to begin Phase IV has not yet been determined. During Phase III, employees of the college will return to campus during normal business hours. Students will return to campus for skills labs and simulation activities.

The guidelines for Phase III will remain the same as for Phase II, with changes to quarantine (see “Managing a COVID-19 Exposure” below). Students, faculty, or staff who become symptomatic while on campus will be quarantined in a private location until arrangements can be made for them to leave campus and get tested and self-quarantine as recommended by the Sentara COVID-19 Call Center or the VDH.

Campus Level Syndromic (Disease) Surveillance

All faculty, staff, and students will self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. Questions for screening of COVID-19 symptoms will be located on a sign outside of the college building; those preparing to enter the building will determine if they have any listed symptoms, with those answering “yes” to any symptoms not allowed to enter. The sign will instruct those who answer “yes” to contact either their faculty member or their manager, as appropriate. Temperature checking will be in place for all who enter the college. For those who have a fever, their temperature will be documented on the screening form to assist with tracking; these individuals will not be allowed to enter the college. Sentara College of Health Sciences assumes a baseline of faculty, staff, and students as asymptomatic until data show otherwise.

Our college is a non-residential institution of higher education. Therefore, we do not provide student health services. We seek emergent medical assistance for our employees, students, and visitors by dialing 911.

We take precautionary measures with all persons who want to have access to services inside of our institution (employees, students, and visitors). We ask baseline questions regarding exposure and symptoms and screen for temperature prior to entering the building. All persons entering the building will be required to social distance and wear a face mask or face shield.

Our faculty will ensure that students who are participating in an on-campus class activity or when on a clinical rotation are symptom-free; and will enforce the rule that students do not come to class/clinical if they are sick. Any documentation about a student who screened positive will be in their electronic record and their referral to Chesapeake Health Department through email to chesapeakehd@vdh.virginia.gov.

The supervisors of the employees will ensure that their employees are symptom-free when working. If not, the employee will be asked to receive a COVID-19 test, self-quarantine, contact the Sentara Occupational Health department; the employee must be cleared by Sentara Occupational Health prior to returning to work.

All data collected will be maintained on campus and will be accessible if required.

Sentara College Testing Strategy

Exposed individuals will be monitored with appropriate screening. Students will have access to community screening through the COVID Screening Assessment at www.sentara.com or COVIDCHECK on the VDH website at www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus). They have access to testing locations on the VDH website and may access care via virtual visits with Sentara Healthcare medical professionals for treatment, even if they are not a Sentara Medical Group patient. For immediate care, students should seek emergency care at their local emergency room.

Sentara College’s testing strategy will be in accordance with our policies within Sentara Healthcare and upon consultation with the Chesapeake Health Department. If an employee or student has symptoms, the person will be immediately directed to Sentara’s COVID-19 Call Center at 833-945-2395. The Call Center will direct callers to appropriate resources based on nurses’ evaluations, answer questions about signs and symptoms based on current CDC guidelines, provide information about Sentara policies, and our COVID-19 response. The Call Center will also provide information for contacting the Virginia Department of Health or local health departments as needed. The person will also be informed to provide a list to the health department of persons with whom they have had close contact in order that contact tracing can occur.

Trends will be constantly monitored by college administration and faculty and reported to the VDH. Should there be a campus outbreak, Sentara Healthcare and the VDH will be notified immediately. The college will partner with the VDH for contact tracing.

Managing a COVID-19 Exposure

High risk exposure (prolonged closed contact, longer than 15 minutes, with an individual with confirmed COVID-19):

• 7-day quarantine with testing (required for all exposures in the clinical setting)

  • Quarantine for 7 days with testing

  • Testing will be done within 48 hours of Day 7 of quarantine (Day 5 or 6)

  • If test is negative and no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring, return to work/class on Day 8 with masking (required regardless) and symptom monitoring until Day 14

  • If test is positive, remain on quarantine for an additional 10 days post positive test result; if no symptoms experienced during daily monitoring, return to work/class on Day 11 posttest with masking (required regardless) and symptom monitoring until Day 14

  • If symptoms arise at any time during the 14 days post exposure, an additional 10 days of quarantine from onset of symptoms is required and the employee/student will be managed as if the result were positive

• 10-day quarantine without testing or test result

  • Quarantine remains unchanged for 10 days

  • If no symptoms occur during daily monitoring, return to work/class on Day 11 with masking (required regardless) and symptom monitoring until Day 14

  • If symptoms arise at any time during the 14 days post exposure, an additional 10 days of quarantine from onset of symptoms is required and the employee/students will be managed as if the result were positive

Low risk exposure (all other potential exposures)

• No work or school restrictions

• Follow all infection prevention and control practices, including wearing a face mask and monitoring for fever or symptoms consistent with COVID-19

• No reporting for work or class if you are ill

• Active screening for fever or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 when you arrive on campus or the clinical setting

• If symptoms consistent with COVID-19 develop, immediately self-isolate and contact your manager or faculty member (to document absence). The quarantine guidelines above for high risk exposure (7-day quarantine with testing or 10-day quarantine without testing or test results) will be followed.