Nursing Students Partner with Local Charity
Students Learn about Special-Needs Population while Providing Needed Health Promotion Services at Opportunity Village
The School of Nursing and local nonprofit Opportunity Village are partnering on a nursing course that combines community health education for students with much-needed basic health promotion services for adults with special needs in Southern Nevada.
As part of the school's "Population-Focused Care in the Community" course, eight nursing students spend one day per week at Opportunity Village. They perform basic health screenings and offer educational disease-prevention programs for the nonprofit's mentally disabled clients.
"Adults with intellectual disabilities often have difficulty understanding the benefits of health promotion and may also face anxiety around medical professionals," said nursing professor Nancy Menzel. "This anxiety is often reciprocated by health workers due to their own lack of understanding about this population's unique needs."
Teaching Proper Health
Since mentally disabled individuals are often at higher risk for developing serious medical issues, the students screen for blood pressure, and measure height and weight. They also provide education about how personal hygiene skills relate to proper health.
"The partnership gives students the chance to work with a population they don't often find in their nursing school experience," said nursing professor Cheryl Bowles. "Students also gain an appreciation for what caregivers and community organizations can accomplish in their efforts to serve people in need."
In addition to developing a stress-reduction program for Opportunity Village staff, nursing students have developed interventions to improve:
- dental hygiene
- nutrition
- fitness
- manual dexterity
Opportunity Village is a locally operated nonprofit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities by providing vocational training, employment, and recreational services.
Related Information
UNLV School of Nursing
Opportunity Village
