WARWICK, R.I. – Since joining the Community College of Rhode Island in 2005, Associate Professor Amy Parks has helped prepare the state’s next generation of nurses. As the lead faculty member for the fourth semester of CCRI’s Nursing Program, she guides graduating students as they transition into the workforce while connecting their clinical education directly to local community needs.

Parks has led CCRI’s involvement in the Rhode Island CareBreaks – Nursing Student Respite Workforce Initiative since 2020. Through free sessions at the Newport County Campus, nursing students collaborate with peers from the Physical Therapist Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, and Massage Therapy programs to provide supervised care for adults, giving family caregivers a much-needed break while gaining hands-on clinical experience.

In this edition of Thinkers, Doers & Achievers, Knight Knowledge spoke with Parks to learn more about her career, the impact of the caregiver respite program, and her vision for expanding cross-departmental collaboration at CCRI.

Knight Knowledge: First, can you tell us a bit about your background and what brought you to CCRI?

Parks: I have been a full-time nursing faculty member at CCRI since 2005. I was drawn to teaching because I wanted to help shape the next generation of nurses who would be caring for patients and families throughout Rhode Island. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally, raising my family while building a career at CCRI. I currently serve as the lead faculty member for the fourth semester of our nursing program, where I enjoy helping students bring together everything they have learned as they prepare to enter the nursing profession. At this stage in my career, I have also become more involved in community-based initiatives that allow me to connect nursing education with the needs of the people we serve.

Knight Knowledge: Can you walk us through how the program was developed?

Parks: I have been involved with the Rhode Island CareBreaks – Nursing Student Respite Workforce Initiative since 2020, working alongside nursing programs throughout Rhode Island to provide much-needed support to family caregivers. Initially, nursing students provided respite services in caregivers' homes, but we have since transitioned to offering on-site respite sessions at CCRI's Newport County Campus. This has allowed us to create a welcoming environment where caregivers can take a break while their loved ones participate in supervised activities.

The program has also grown beyond providing respite care to include caregiver education and wellness opportunities. I have brought nursing students to present at both the Alzheimer's Association of Rhode Island and the Family Caregiver Alliance of Rhode Island conferences, where they shared practical caregiver training and resources. One of our most rewarding events was a caregiver self-care evening, where CCRI Massage Therapy students provided complimentary one-hour massages while nursing students facilitated self-care stations and a caregiver support group. It was a wonderful example of different programs at CCRI coming together to support our community.

Knight Knowledge: How do caregiver respite programs work, and what benefits do they provide for caregivers?

Parks: Our respite sessions are free and available to anyone in the community who is caring for an adult loved one at home. Each session lasts four hours and is designed to resemble an adult day program, providing a safe, welcoming, and engaging environment for participants while their caregivers enjoy a much-needed break. That time might allow someone to attend an appointment, run errands, meet a friend for lunch, or simply have a few hours to themselves.

Family caregivers are truly the backbone of our healthcare system, yet their own needs are often overlooked. Many are balancing caregiving responsibilities with work, family, and their own health. By offering respite, we are not only supporting the individuals receiving care but also recognizing how important it is to care for the caregivers themselves. Even a few hours of relief can make a meaningful difference in someone's day.

Knight Knowledge: In what ways do CCRI nursing students contribute to the program?

Parks: This program is truly mutually beneficial for our students and the community. Nursing students gain valuable hands-on clinical experience while developing a greater understanding of the challenges family caregivers face every day. It gives them an opportunity to see healthcare from a different perspective, recognizing that caring for a patient also means understanding and supporting the family members who provide much of that care at home.

We have also expanded our collaboration to include students from CCRI's Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) and Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) programs. This creates valuable opportunities for interprofessional learning, allowing students from different healthcare disciplines to work together and appreciate the unique contributions each profession brings to patient-centered care. These are experiences that I hope will stay with our students long after graduation.

Knight Knowledge: What other populations could benefit from similar initiatives or programs?

Parks: I think there is tremendous potential to expand this program and involve even more departments across CCRI. We have already seen how successful collaboration can be with our Nursing, PTA, OTA, and Massage Therapy programs, but there are so many additional opportunities. For example, music students could provide musical activities and engagement, while art students could lead creative projects for participants. These activities could provide meaningful social interaction and enrichment for the adults attending our respite sessions.

What excites me most is the possibility of bringing together students from across the college to make a difference in our community. This program demonstrates that community service and hands-on education can go hand in hand, and I would love to see it continue to grow. I encourage any CCRI department or faculty member interested in collaborating to reach out. There is so much we can accomplish when we work together.