Infusing research, service, and education through community engagement

Background: Nurses provide care to residents and workers of America's 2.2 million farms .This report illustrates how three components of nursing education were interwoven across multiple research projects and educational units and principled by community stakeholder engagement. Description: Two NIOSH-funded studies provided the opportunity to engage undergraduate nursing students and faculty at two universities and the regional AHEC to explore health promotion theories, engage in research and service, and learn about agricultural health/ safety and how it applies to nursing practice. Each institution had a unique role in the project. Involvement included development, delivery, and evaluation of instructional interventions at Progressive Agriculture Foundation Safety DaysŪ. Lessons Learned: The mix of research, education, and community organizations produced a tapestry of interdisciplinary work that quickly permeated nursing practice, education, and community service that initially reached 553 members of a rural community. The symbiotic interaction between the two nursing education programs yielded valuable service-learning and research products than could not have been achieved without the students' participation. On follow up, students indicated they applied their new knowledge to practice after graduation and the Safety Day incorporated new techniques. Recommendation: Faculty should look for new opportunities within communities to coordinate and maximize learning and service experiences. Nurses, particularly those practicing in rural areas, need to be properly informed about the health hazards of agriculture in order to provide culturally competent care. Students' knowledge of agricultural hazards, culture, and research may help them in practice as they encounter farm families.