Despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Blessing Hospital nurses found ways to give back to the community. Prior to the pandemic, in November 2019, Blessing Health System hosted its first-ever Family Fun Day and Health Fair at the Quincy University Health and Fitness Center.
The event brought together more than 200 community members for no-cost health screenings, hands-on activities, and health education. More than a dozen Blessing Health System nurses were on hand to help coordinate activities and screenings, including a no-cost hemoglobin A1C screening offered by staff of the Blessing Diabetes Center. The hemoglobin A1c is a blood test that can help diagnose diabetes or can be used to monitor blood sugar control by providing an average of blood sugar levels during the previous three months.
“Offering a no-cost A1c screening to the community opens the door to target prevention and education,” explained Deb Derhake, RN, Program Coordinator for the Blessing Diabetes Center. “Engaging with health professionals in community outreach services such as no-cost screenings is a leading way in which adults obtain health information and can be the start of connecting those in need with the services they require, which can lead to better health outcomes,” she concluded.
No-cost blood pressure screenings, education on how to recognize a stroke, and a stroke risk assessment were also part of the health fair activities. Nurses also took the opportunity to train children and adults on the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, as well as how to perform hands-only CPR. Beyond screenings and hands-on activities, health education was also a prime focus with topics discussed, such as the dangers of smoking, car seat safety, and child and adolescent mental health resources.
“We wanted the event to be fun and engaging for families, but we also want to provide our community members with information and resources to better understand and manage their own health,” explained event organizer Laura Wietholder, MSN, RN, Blessing Health System Community Outreach Coordinator.
Blessing Health System nurses also stepped up to help out with a number of events in February 2020 in honor of Heart Month, including a no-cost community cholesterol screening. However, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020, traditional community outreach came to a halt. Despite the challenges, Blessing Health System nurses found innovative methods to ensure outreach and health education continued in the community. A series of virtual educational events was launched, and critical education on stroke and heart attack was incorporated into mailed marketing pieces. Social media also became an outlet for outreach.
“We looked for ways to maintain our community connection and ensure we were providing people with timely and relevant information, while still being conscious of the concerns and precautions related to COVID-19,” said Wietholder.
In total, nurses volunteered more than 100 combined hours serving at events and health screenings to benefit the community.