The Expanding Horizons in Nursing program addresses two important areas of need |
1) There is a shortage of Native American nurses who can deliver needed health care while being sensitive to the traditions of their culture. Expanding Horizons in Nursing brings Native American student nurses from the University of New Mexico - Gallup to visit Doylestown Hospital and Einstein Medical Center - Montgomery where they can experience the cardiac catheterization lab, cardiac services, emergency department and the maternity center, areas to which they have very little or no access in their community. In addition they spend an afternoon with Central School District nurses learning what school nurses do for students.
2) Children do not receive even the most basic health screenings, as there are no school nurses in the Navajo Reservation schools. Each fall, nurses from Doylestown and Einstein-Montgomery Hospitals travel to the Navajo reservation to administer these essential tests to elementary school students. They are assisted by UNM-G nursing students, who, at the same time, are gaining the experience of administering these tests. Many children were found to have poor eyesight and a surprising number have hearing loss. Imagine how difficult it would be for a child to receive an education with these difficulties.
Beginning in 2019, the Lions Club of Gallup, NM, partnered with ANA to provide eye screening for the students we visit. Their advanced equipment and donation of free eyeglasses have been a huge asset for the children.
2) Children do not receive even the most basic health screenings, as there are no school nurses in the Navajo Reservation schools. Each fall, nurses from Doylestown and Einstein-Montgomery Hospitals travel to the Navajo reservation to administer these essential tests to elementary school students. They are assisted by UNM-G nursing students, who, at the same time, are gaining the experience of administering these tests. Many children were found to have poor eyesight and a surprising number have hearing loss. Imagine how difficult it would be for a child to receive an education with these difficulties.
Beginning in 2019, the Lions Club of Gallup, NM, partnered with ANA to provide eye screening for the students we visit. Their advanced equipment and donation of free eyeglasses have been a huge asset for the children.
Nursing Students' Visit - May 2019ANA’s Expanding Horizons in Nursing program was initiated in 2014 and to date has hosted 32 nursing students from the University of New Mexico – Gallup. Their full week of focused experiences is designed to support, energize and enlighten their careers. On May 18, six Navajo and Zuni nursing students and their instructor traveled to Doylestown to observe medical procedures at Einstein Medical Center - Montgomery and Doylestown Hospital. They also spent a day shadowing school nurses in Central Bucks School District elementary schools.
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