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Gayle Mason, RN, Deaconess Parish Nurse Ministries, Union Avenue Christian Church, 475 East Lockwood, Saint Louis, MO 63119, 314-918-2559, uaccnurs@swbell.net, Julie Sellers, RN, Barnes Jewish Hospital, 216 So. Kingshighway, Saint Louis, MO 63110, and Mary Ann Drake, RN, PhD, Webster University, 470 East Lockwood, Saint Louis, MO 63119.
Two RN/BSN completion students join forces as they share stories of their clinical experiences during a Community Health Nursing course. One of the students is employed as a parish nurse in a church located in an impoverished inner city neighborhood. The second student works as an oncology nurse coordinator for a local hospital.
The acute care nurse was disturbed by the description of a school nurse practice located at a neighborhood public elementary school in which the majority (96%) of the student population qualifies for the free or reduced breakfast and lunch program. The school nurse has very limited resources to assist in her work with a very high risk group of children.
The nurses begin to ask each other: “What can we do? We only have several weeks….these are our resources….how can we offer some kind of assistance? How can we make a difference in the lives of these children? What resources do we have available if we put them all together?”
The nurses began organizing, developing partnerships, and extending themselves. The Community Health course becomes a vehicle to respond to the needs of the neighborhood. Within the remaining weeks of the course students organized a drive to collect clothing and personal hygiene supplies at the university and their workplace. They stocked the nursing office with first aid supplies and raised over $1000. Nurses joining forces, working together can make a difference!
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.