Nursing students educate on population health, engage elementary students

Jesuit Values in Action

With reflection, healthcare elevates competent, empirically focused practice into extraordinary care for the whole person. It marries science and spirit. It considers not only the how but the why as well.

The student experience is eloquently communicated by nursing faculty and the students themselves, as shared in their class reflections:

• On Faith that Does Justice: One school in particular “was very culturally diverse, and through our assessments it was evident that they did not have the access to healthcare and other things that some of the other schools we visited would have. It was a good feeling to know that we were helping people who really needed it. It was also a good way for us to get more experience with different cultures.”  
• On Finding God in All Things: “God is in these kids. He’s in our hands as we serve them and in the schools where they spend their days. He’s in our brief interactions with them–the quick smile, the compliment, the encouraging word–and this past week was filled with countless opportunities to encounter His beauty and grace through His children.”
• On Men and Women for and with Others: “This is really a reciprocal service that is provided, and we student nurses gain so much from the opportunity to experience the school health side of nursing.”

Dana Koziol, MSN, RN, assistant professor in Creighton’s College of Nursing, says the school partnership program affords students the opportunity to learn valuable assessment skills and considerations for health teaching and promotion. But equally important, she continues, “this experience often leaves our students striving for the Jesuit value of magis— opening their minds to want to do more for individuals, communities and populations,” which has a ripple effect of “changing the landscape of care” for a great many people.

The Student Experience

To maximize the benefits of the health promotion rotation, administrators in each elementary school completed a survey so that nursing students could tailor their presentations to individual school needs. Topics included physical activity, nutrition and hydration, mental health, dental health, bullying and safe technology use, personal hygiene and street safety.

“By focusing on their specific needs, we could make a greater impact, showing how personalized health education can be more effective than a one-size-fits-all approach,” says Madisyn Dudek, a junior nursing major and healthcare administration and policy minor.

She and her team promoted healthy hygiene practices in their presentation to 4th-8th grade boys. They covered such topics as personal hygiene, hand washing, cough etiquette, dental care, illness prevention and care and the importance of hygiene. To keep their students engaged, Dudek and her teammates paired interactive components with a lecture, leaving plenty of time for questions.

“We wanted to ensure that each student would be able to leave our presentation with at least one new piece of information that they could either start or continue to implement into their hygiene routine,” the Superior, Colorado, native says.

A “Bag of Germs” activity demonstrated the importance of hand washing, for instance. Students placed their hands in a bag of powder, the “germs,” that glows under blacklight. After the students saw what germ-infested hands looked like under the ultraviolet light, they washed them and returned their clean hands to the scrutiny of UV-A lighting. Often, the “germs” remained, indicating the importance of thorough hand washing.

Dudek discovered that nurses are also teachers. Just as nurses must adjust patient care and instruction to the patient sitting in front of them, Dudek’s team had to adapt its messaging to a wide range of student ages. She says they gained more insight with each presentation. With younger students, they hit the main points; with older ones, they were able to answer questions in more depth and explore the “whys” and not just the “whats.”

They also tapped into positive peer pressure, asking students to write on sticky notes one new practice they were going to implement and then posting those notes so everyone could see what healthy behaviors their classmates committed to practicing.

Dudek believes that “getting into the community” broadens student perspective, “shows the real-world impact of nursing beyond clinical settings.”

Litchfield Park, Arizona, native and junior nursing major Bryn Taylor concurs. “We learn a lot in the hospital and in simulation, but I think working in the community makes an impact on a deeper level,” she says.

“Hospital and clinic healthcare is needed, and we wouldn’t be able to function without it,” she continues, “but we are discharging those patients back to their community. If we can improve and serve in community health, we can prevent potential disease and create a culture of health promotion.”

Community engagement also affords students the opportunity to interact with diverse populations who live realities much different from their own. Dudek says this builds empathy: “We often do not know the full experiences that shape someone’s life. Taking a moment to recognize this reminds us to approach others with kindness and understanding, ensuring that our interactions make them feel valued and respected.”

Such as the time Taylor was conducting a blood pressure screening. She asked her patient if he recalled it from his doctor visits. He responded that he did not remember because he had not had a well visit with a doctor.

“Interactions like this highlight the importance of what we do and the impact we can have,” Taylor says.

The Creighton Difference

“Our vision is a future where compassionate care, innovative education and scholarly excellence converge to transform healthcare locally and globally,” says Misty Schwartz, PhD, RN, assistant professor in Creighton’s College of Nursing. “We strive to empower visionary leaders who advance healthcare practice, improve health outcomes, promote health equity and cultivate belonging for all.”

Future nurses like Dudek and Taylor. And maybe a few of the elementary students who have connected with nursing students. Perhaps they will one day pursue healthcare careers, becoming Bluejays who return to their alma maters to continue the tradition.