Students taking NUR 422, Community/Public Health Nursing, practiced public health interventions by implementing service-learning projects during the fall 2018 semester.
Working in teams, the 58 senior BSN students from the main campus and the Barry Baptist Bond Scholars Program focused on specific population groups – agricultural workers, school-aged children, resettled refugees, and underinsured women. Each team was assigned to a related community partner and project and was required to spend at least 40 hours on the project.
The community partners and service sites were La Salle Educational Center, Homestead; RCMA (Redlands Christian Migrant Association), Homestead; St. Mary’s Cathedral School, Miami; Women’s Breast and Heart Initiative, North Miami and Cutler Bay; and Church World Service, North Miami, as well as the Barry Urban Garden on campus.
The student teams reflected on their service-learning experiences by presenting posters.
The clinical instructors for NUR 422 were Faye Holloman, Marni Hochman, Dr. Ann Lamet, Marie Paulie Lafontant, Dr. Faye Milne, Rosanne Sonshine, Deborah Tice, and Alice Lewis Weldy.
"Being able to provide meaningful partnerships through the CCSI (Center for Community Service Initiatives) and community organizations really helped the nursing students translate theory learning from the classroom into public health nursing practice," said Daryl Hawkins, the course coordinator. "In addition, the work that the students did really showcased their ability to listen to the needs of the population in order to tailor interventions to the population."