University of Michigan-Flint (04/09/24) Sirignano, Asinda

Service learning in nursing helps to improve lives in several ways. Through service learning, students gain experiential learning experiences with populations or groups they may not otherwise encounter in their regular clinical learning settings. Service learning increases clinical competence, expanding the range of firsthand learning opportunities; boosts community engagement and access to healthcare; allows for interprofessional collaboration; encourages personal and professional development; and contributes to health promotion and education. As part of a two-day service learning program in April, nurse practitioner students, faculty and alumni from the University of Michigan-Flint will travel to the Appalachian region of southwestern Virginia. This is the third year the school has worked with Remote Area Missions, a nationwide organization that provides complimentary pop-up clinic services. During their trip, participants will evaluate patients, conduct physical exams, refer patients to specialists, chart documentation and recommend formulary medications. They will work with a preceptor in a number of settings — including a primary healthcare tent, a women's health wagon and a surgery tent — and across numerous healthcare specialties. To prepare for this year's trip, students met in virtual seminars and researched the needs of the Appalachian region, which has high rates of poverty and unemployment. They also prepared educational materials to share with patients, focused on the top five areas of morbidity and mortality for the area's residents: cardiovascular disease, obesity, poor nutrition, tobacco use and lack of access to dental care. Christina Aplin-Snider, associate professor of nursing and the faculty leader for this trip, said: "I look forward to spending time with the students and offering an environment to them where they can learn things they would otherwise not have access to. It's unlike anything else that these students can experience in a traditional clinical setting."

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