Community Health Project
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Serving as the New Jersey Nursing Students, Inc. (NJNS) community health director has given me the privilege to present a worthy community health project that impacts one in four women in their lifetime. I chose domestic violence because, as future nurses and healthcare professionals, we are at the forefront of this stigmatized issue. We will often be the first to respond and screen a victim of this type of abuse. Communication, support, and legal reporting are items nurses deal with frequently.
My presentation doesn’t just focus on statistics and facts. Its focus is what to do and how to communicate with those we identify as victims. Issues that victims face are hard to talk about; they can be even harder for a new or experienced nurse to approach the issue of domestic violence or legalities around it. My presentation provides a simple break down with multiple examples of therapeutic communication and resources to help aid those whom we may identify as a victim. Screening helps reduce the cost of healthcare related expenses, but more importantly can help victims obtain the help they need to be and feel safe.
Being able to share these ideas with nursing students at the Council of School Participants (COSP) workshop was more than rewarding. Events like this help us grow as nurses and help aid in making our community a better place for all.
Join us at our 65th annual convention which is an ideal site for the exchange of ideas and growth on March 2nd and 3rd at Bally’s in Atlantic City. I hope to see you all there and look forward to displaying my community service project with everyone.
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Doris Rauh
Community Health Director
COMMUNITY HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS
AMERICAN RED CROSS
Founded in 1881 by nurse Clara Barton, The American Red Cross is one of 187 national organizations that collectively form the world's largest humanitarian network. The American Red Cross provides an abundance of charitable services, including disaster relief, blood drives, and international aid. There are many ways to get involved - in the area of blood drives alone you can be a donor, volunteer at a drive, or even host your own blood drive.
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
The mission of the American Heart Association (AHA) is to fight cardiovascular disease and stroke. This organization has an enormous breadth of resources for this cause. From a plethora of educational information, to CPR certification, to activities such as Heart Walks, the AHA is a great resource for nursing students and the communities we serve. The AHA is an integral part of this year's community health project, which focuses on Women's Heart Health.
NATIONAL MARROW DONOR PROGRAM
Bone marrow donation is paramount in the fight against blood cancers such as leukemia, and other life-threatening illnesses. Through their Be the Match Registry, the National Marrow Donor Program helps connect donors with patients in need. Donating is as simple as a cheek swab, and bone marrow drives can be organized through organizations such as DKMS. This was the focus of the NJNS 2011-12 community health project, and remains a fantastic community health activity for nursing schools.
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
For the past century, the American Cancer Society has worked to stop cancer in its tracks - and to give the gift of more birthdays! ACS offers a variety of volunteer and fundraising opportunities. From their Road to Recovery program (wherein volunteers give cancer patients rides to and from treatment) to walks such as Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and Relay for Life, it is easy to get involved. Cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in this country - you can make a difference right now by volunteering.
PAST PROJECTS
Woman's Heart Health (2013-2014)
It was such a pleasure to see so many of you at the NJNS convention last month! In case you didn't get a chance to come check out my focus session, "Follow Your Heart: The Nurse's Role in the Fight against Women's #1 Killer," this video contains everything we discussed. After watching it, you will be prepared you to join the fight against female-pattern heart disease. You will discover its subtle symptoms, understand its unique pathophysiology, and gain strategies for effective patient education and advocacy. Thanks to your generosity, NJNS has raised $1035 for Go Red for Women! A very special thank you to everyone who participated in the American Red Cross Blood Drive at the NJNS convention in February! Thanks to you, 23 pints of blood were collected, which will save 69 lives! Your life-saving donations came at a great time of need, as recent winter storms have had a significant impact on American Red Cross blood collections.
Community Health Director,
Heather Foley
DKMS Americas: Where Leukemia Meets Its Match
(2011-2012)
Greetings fellow New Jersey nursing students! My name is Carolyn and I am your 2011-2012 Community Health Director! I am thrilled to announce the board has elected to invite DKMS Americas: Where Leukemia Meets Its Match as our 2011-2012 Community Health Project! DKMS Americas is a non-profit organization which enlists volunteers to become potential bone marrow donors. DKMS Americas facilitates the cost, process and paperwork required to become listed on the Be The Match Registry.
We are excited to incorporate DKMS Americas this year at our fantastic COSP event on October 8, 2011 in Trenton with information on the organization, the bone marrow donation process, and ways you can host your own bone marrow drive on your local campus. DKMS Americas will also be involved at our annual convention in February 2012 at Bally’s Atlantic City. Please look for more information on our Community Health Project. You can visit getswabbed.org.
Community Health Director
-Carolyn Isabelle Bogdon
Childhood Obesity (2012-2013)
What an amazing turnout at COSP! Several students came out to learn how they can best present themselves and their resumes to get that first job. The Community Health Project table displayed a large amount of information such as BMI charts, healthy eating tips, the plate planner, and caloric content in fast foods! In addition, visual aids were displayed that showed the actual size of a serving of food like hamburger, chicken, pasta, ice cream and many more. There was also a visual aid that showed how much sugar and fat are in foods like soda, ice cream, juice, and many others! Having these visual aids was a great way to really convey the harmful amounts of sugar, fat, and calories that are in the foods we are consuming.
As Community Health Director, it is my responsibility to spread this information out into the community so they are educated on the obesity epidemic America is facing. In order to do this I want to attend community health fairs throughout New Jersey and visit schools to talk with children about the issue. Educating children while they are young and healthy will instill healthy habits that they can continue to follow as they age. In addition, it is important to encourage schools to make healthier lunches. Many schools have already started eliminating soda, french fries, and other fried foods from the menus.
At this year’s convention, look forward to meeting a personal trainer who can show you some excellent exercises and a registered dietician who can offer some additional healthy eating tips! In addition, there may be an early morning exercise class like Yoga or Zumba to get your brain ready for a busy day at convention! I look forward to seeing you there!
Community Health Director
-Carly J. Rogers