Four faculty members and eight nursing students from Kent State University at East Liverpool recently volunteered at the Ohio Nurses Association, District Three, blood pressure screening booth at the Canfield Fair. Associate Lecturer of Nursing Angela Douglass has coordinated the event for the last six years.
Through this volunteer work, nursing students learn the importance of community involvement, interact with a wide variety of patients and practice skills taught in the classroom. Kent State’s involvement at the Canfield Fair also raises awareness of high blood pressure, which is a chronic condition affecting a large segment of the population. Nearly 700 blood pressures were assessed by the volunteer student nurses.
“Volunteering at the blood pressure screening booth gives the students exposure to real people with real health issues. It’s better than any classroom or clinical setting in offering preparation for the real world of nursing,” Douglass said. “It builds professionalism and communication skills, and it nurtures a desire to give back to the community.
She added that Kent State East Liverpool’s nursing program focuses on the whole person: mind, body, spirit. “We stress the importance of recognizing and accommodating the needs of every patient in each of these realms,” Douglass explained. “As nurses, we encourage people to make small changes for better health. We teach, we listen and we always support our patients.”
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Media Contact:
Bethany Zirillo, 330-382-7430, bgadd@kent.edu
