Bicycle Safety
Authors: Maddie Calen Campbell, Caroline Fiveash, Jessica Heidt, Shelby Stone, Raegan Thompson, and Alexis Torres,
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Lydia Watkins and Dr. Sarah Hartman
Abstract:
Almost 400,000 bicycle injuries under age 18 are treated in the emergency room each year. After conducting a detailed literature review in our pediatric nursing service-learning course, we decided to implement a teaching project on bicycle safety using current research findings and evidence-based nursing practice. We began our presentation for elementary school students by first interviewing them on what they already knew regarding bicycle safety. We used an interactive approach and the teach-back method to practice hand signals, review road sign meanings, and correct application and fit of bicycle helmets. At the end of the presentation, we asked the students to take the bicycle safety pledge and sign our demonstration helmet. To evaluate their learning, we asked the students to recall and write the most interesting thing that they learned about bicycle safety. Judging by their responses we deemed that our presentation was effective in teaching bicycle safety to the elementary students. Throughout this project, the nursing students collaborated with the School of Education teacher candidate students as a grant was written, received, current age-appropriate books related to the education topic were identified, purchased, and given to the schools, and bulletin boards were developed to further the teaching of this topic in the school.
