Turkey Trot & Blood Pressure Screening Spot
Authors: Mary Margaret Artman, Brian Hall, Mary Grace Alley, Patricia Hill, and Valentina Echandia
Faculty Supervisor: Brandy Shea Chambers, MSN, RN, CNE
Abstract:
The Turkey Trot and Blood Pressure Spot is a Service-Learning initiative designed to provide education and health screenings for blood pressure with a focus specifically on causes, symptoms, and education on hypertension. While the Turkey Trot, a 5k race, was taking place, junior students from BSN School of Nursing provided free blood pressure screenings to all who were willing to participate in the community. The students offered a free BP assessment to all the staff, faculty and students, and also provided them with education based on the results of their blood pressure screen. The faculty, staff, and student’s participation were instrumental in making this effort a success, allowing for the execution of skills as well as the passing of education. This project has helped many to understand the significance of blood pressure screenings and the consequences of not being health conscious. The project made several participants aware that they had high blood pressure, which in turn, allowed for nursing students to educate them on preventable factors and how to get in touch with a general practitioner if more testing is necessary.
Nursing students performed and documented accurate health assessments while promoting health and quality of life for those in the immediate community. Students were able to identify needs and work collaboratively with others in the campus community by connecting knowledge to experience and becoming familiar with differences in people and cultures. Not only did this service learning project provide a learning opportunity for the nursing students, but it provided framework for those in the community to take initiative in their health and well-being. In the future, we hope to expand this Service-Learning program to include a broader range of community partners, and in turn, provide free blood pressure screening and education to more members of the Mariner community as well as the Brunswick community.
