Health promotion project

manna, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2005

We haven't done one of those, so care to elaborate on what exactly a health promotion project is? :)

JudithL_in_NH · Jan 21, 2005

Well...any ideas for a Health promotion project... I would like to do something different like with cancer patients or peds. Any ideas :) ! Thanks! Jen

Get in touch with your local Elementary or Middle Schools' health teachers--they're sure to have ideas of ways you can help in their classes.

A friend and I assisted in a class about "Body Sounds"--heart rate, bp, bowels sounds and how to keep those systems healthy.

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Jan 21, 2005

We did a presentation on the importance of handwashing to a class of 4th graders. We used baby powder as a visual aid (called it cold/flu germs or something) since it shows where and what has been touched and it spreads quickly as everyone touches it. Then we taught the proper way to wash hands.

In retrospect, we somewhat lost the kids' interest after spreading the powder around since they got so riled up touching everything and everyone. We got a slightly lower grade over it too (since the teaching process wasn't effective) and that kind of bothered me since we're nursing majors, not child education majors!

NurseRachy · Jan 21, 2005

Hello linkay77 I have degree's in nursing and Health promotion and have just secured a job working in a major metropolitan hospitals health promotion department 2 days a week around my nursing so I would be happy to answer any questions you may have for this project.

You say you would like to do something different - as in.. ? A few projects that I feel you may enjoy doing include:

* collecting a 'pack' or folder of information with details of local and state run support groups for cancer, the details of the anti-cancer council, oncologists office phone numbers (in your area), references to books like "So - you have cancer", maybe the details of a wig fitter, and you could even go as far as naming cafes and cinemas. Even at the end of the folder you can have a few lined pages left blank where people can write other info. The most important thing to do before starting this project is to determine your scope. This basically is who would you lilke this project to benefit and what impact you plan on achieveing. The oncology nurse unit manager would be a very good person to point you in the right direction. I know this sounds like a lot of work, but once you visit an oncology ward and determine their resources (which they should be happy to share with you) it really is a very straightforward project. Then after your assignment is marked you could give the oncology ward a copy and patients may benefit from your work! (gasp - how exciting!) hehehe I find it cool anyway.

With cancer again (of course after you determine what resources they already have) maybe you could organise for some music therapists to visit the ward. This is an excellent moral booster for patients and staff alike. This is most likely already happening but a good project anyway.

Paediatrics can be a little more difficult in the way that many people do NOT want to be told how to parent their kids. Do not let this put you off! Another good fairly quick project would be to focus on paed CPR. Maybe you could make a design on how you cold put this info on a magnet to stick on the fridge. A would not recommend a flyer because 1) they are not useful like a magnet, 2) they are easy to throw away and 3) EVERY parent should have this info (which i doubt the majority do at quick reference)

I hope this helps. I have a fun time designing and implementing programs and I hope that you do too! Any questions - just fire away :)

Good luck

Rachel

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Jan 21, 2005

Hi there,

We have a similar project to do for my community/public health rotation. One of the other students has her rotation in a highschool. In this highschool there are 10 (known) pregnancies. The nurse there decided to start a program to help these pregnant teens. They have speakers coming in, WIC - for finances, etc. We are going to come in and teach about nutrition while pregnant. For us, because these are teenagers, we first have to learn what they already know. Maybe get a 24-hour recall for their diet. We don't want to go in there and just start talking about how important it is for them to be getting the right amount of folic acid, etc. This may be over their heads. So, we're working on this and going from there... hope this helps!

manna, BSN, RN · Jan 22, 2005

We did for our first summer nursing courses (BSN program) - although we called it a teaching-learning project. Ours was on fire safety for preschoolers. :)

hypnotic_nurse · Jan 22, 2005

I know Boy Scouts get a badge for learning first aid; you could talk to some of the Scouts in your area.

linkay77 · Jan 22, 2005

Thank You for all your ideas! You guys are awesome! I've only been on this site for 2 days! Thanks!

NurseRachy · Jan 23, 2005

wow guys - awesome ideas for her project.

Good luck linkay77!

Rachel

mitchsmom · Jan 23, 2005

As a mom to a kindergartener and 2nd grader, I LOVE the handwashing project idea!!!!! I volunteer weekly at my kid's school and handwashing seems to be nonexistant!!! Maybe you could do the powder part after the teaching is over, outside at recess or something to let off steam after sitting for the talking part. I say start younger than 4th grade though... possibly even preschool if you can do a very short lesson. You could probably look up lessons on it online somewhere as a jumping off point.

Another small germ-related tip I saw was for kids to use their sleeve for coughing (if they don't have a tissue) instead of their hand to cover their mouths.

All the projects sound great :) I love that kind of thing... I think if I didn't want to be a CNM I'd do public health.