Hand Washing in Preschoolers
Authors: Tina Barrientos, Chelsea Chapman, Shannon Evertsen, Lauren Lee, Ciara Melody, Danielle Morehouse, Robert Rubow, Dana Trinh
Faculty Supervisor: Beverly Rowe, MSN, RN, CNE
Community Partner: FACES Prekindergarten Center
Abstract:
We are nursing students in the ASN program here at the College of Coastal Georgia. This year our service-learning project was to educate students in our community at the FACES Pre-kindergarten school about different aspects of health management and safety in a fun and engaging manner. Our group was given the topic of handwashing. We created and starred in a video detailing how easily germs are spread between human beings and inanimate objects. The children were taught the mechanics of handwashing utilizing a fun song, “Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands” (set to the tune of “Row your Boat”). This song was chosen because it is catchy and easily understandable. Our group created an activity worksheet for the pre-k students to reiterate the instructions in our video as well as several flyers to be given to the teachers to display by the sinks frequented by the students. Giveaway bags were filled with the activity worksheet, crayons, hand-washing themed stickers, and reusable personal bottles filled with hand sanitizer. Each bottle is equipped with a colorful sleeve and clip for the student’s backpacks. We feel this project is important because a basic understanding of handwashing is the best tool for preventing the spread of infections, and the sooner we instill this in the upcoming generations the better. This project allowed our group to fully realize the Service-learning objectives, specifically objective 1: enable community engagement and promote leadership. We were able to reach right into the community and impart beneficial health information. Any education we as nursing students and healthcare workers put out in the community will serve everyone within the community. That is how our group felt about this project. It is important that we all strive to do our part in keeping our community as safe and healthy as possible.
