Auburn University School of Nursing (AUSON) students recently participated in a community clinical in Tallapoosa County. We are sharing an Outreach Video Story highlighting the community clinical picked up by Alex City Outlook and Tallapoosa Publishers: https://youtu.be/W9YscTIIHWc.
TigerCHAT (Community Health, Awareness, and Training) is a 12-session intervention funded by Russell Medical Foundation and delivered to children in elementary schools. We focus on three areas: the heart, lungs, and brain. This Fall, children were educated about the heart using nutrition and physical activity. Additional sessions next spring focus on the brain and mental health.
This large academic-community-school partnership involved 65 AUSON 2nd-semester students, 4 Honor College students, 1089 children 5-12 years of age, 2 area healthcare providers, and 8 coaches.
According to Dr. Linda Gibson-Young, Outreach Coordinator at AUSON, “All students wore N95 masks and participated in small groups throughout the experience. Our Auburn students were motivated and excited, and clearly saw themselves as role models for the community. They engaged all children in conversations both in group and 1:1, and truly jumped in for this opportunity,” she added.
“Kelly Strickland is the AUSON Community Liaison and clearly an expert in understanding the impact of health in the community,” Gibson-Young said. “Her words captured in the video speak volumes about the need for community interventions. I congratulate Strickland for her wisdom and talent in discussion with the media.”
“Outreach initiatives like this are consistent with the mission of the School of Nursing,” Dean Gregg Newschwander said. “Advancing health and healthcare for all through outreach is a major component. We know education and early intervention work and getting children to think healthy will encourage healthy behaviors throughout their lives.”
