Community Health Projects Engage the Culture and Change the World
Fulfilling SPU’s vision is not only something SHS prepares students to do after graduation; it is actively pursued during their training. Nursing students are given a unique opportunity throughout the program to engage with patients both in clinical settings and community health service projects. During their final quarter, groups of students are assigned to local health agencies to complete a community-based project. The projects include hosting health fairs, producing educational videos, and providing one-on-one health education and hands-on service.
Each year, faculty are invited to nominate one of these student groups for the Lillian Wald Collaboration and Partnership with the Community Award. The award honors students, who demonstrate a collaborative spirit, a willingness to engage in dialogue that promotes inclusivity of diverse perspectives, and a desire to understand and serve community needs. This award pays tribute to Lillian Wald (1867–1940), the founder of public health nursing. Wald was committed to providing nursing services to persons in need in New York City.
The students behind Project Healthy Horizon, a partnership with New Horizons Ministries, were selected as the 2014 Lillian Wald Award recipients. Team members Addison Lin, Jessica Jordan, Melissa Holmberg, Brian Hinnenkamp, and James Nguyen were led by instructor Jim Mitre (with assistance from instructor Sandra Mortinson). As the first group of nursing students placed at New Horizons, they were charged with forging relationships with both the organization and its clients to establish the groundwork for a continued partnership.
New Horizons offers shelter to homeless youth. The SPU students’ goals were to create a two-part intervention: Provide a sustainable first-aid kit and educate the staff and the population on basic first-aid care. The students pooled their resources and purchased a rolling/locking cart complete with first-aid supplies. The students educated the New Horizons staff and youth on first aid. In addition, they applied for and received a grant through the King County Nurses Association to ensure the first-aid supplies can be replenished. The grant money will also be used to purchase gift cards as incentives for the youth to return to the clinic for follow-up appointments and screenings.
Unlike most agencies, New Horizons did not provide the students with a project idea. The nursing students acted as true community health nurses and used the nursing process to determine needs. They created a sustainable project to serve the needs of the homeless youth at New Horizons. The students were autonomous, professional, and engaging. They built a strong relationship with staff that will form the foundation for future projects there.