Promoting community health

Faculty member Luann Woodrick said this was the third year for the fair, and it gives nursing students a different sort of learning experience in dealing with children and questions. “Education is a big part of what nurses do.”

The little fair-goers weaved in and out of rooms to learn the negative effects of smoking, poisons, what an X-ray does and how “germy” your hands are when you don’t scrub. One stop included a photo session in which the youngsters got their pictures taken wearing an arm cast and a hospital gown. Woodrick said the nursing students selected the topics to cover in their booths and made the contacts for educational materials or displays before the big tour day. “The groups had to work together. It was a collaborative effort.”

Student Michelle Bowman said she really enjoyed working with the children in the smoking education booth. The nursing students stressed that smoking reduces lung capacity. The lung reduction was illustrated by using a drinking straw to draw in oxygen. “They were shocked. I don’t think they believed me. And it was funny they also like to ‘rat out’ their parents about smoking.”