LAS VEGAS - September 25, 2008 - The UNLV School of Nursing and local non-profit organization Opportunity Village are partnering on a nursing course that combines community health education for students with much-needed basic health promotion services for hundreds of adults in Southern Nevada with special needs.
As part of the school's "Population-Focused Care in the Community" course, eight UNLV nursing students spend one day per week at Opportunity Village each semester performing basic health screenings and offering disease prevention educational programs for the non-profit's mentally disabled clients. Opportunity Village is a locally operated non-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities by providing vocational training, employment and social recreation services.
"Adults with intellectual disabilities in many cases have difficulty understanding the benefits of health promotion and may also face anxiety around medical professionals," said UNLV associate nursing professor and course instructor Nancy Menzel. "This anxiety is often reciprocated by health workers due to their own lack of understanding about this population's unique needs, making it important for our students to learn the best ways to interact to reduce anxiety and improve communication."
Since individuals with mental retardation are often at higher risk for developing serious medical issues, medical screening for blood pressure, height, and weight, as well as education about personal hygiene skills, such as hand washing, are critical to maintaining proper health.
"The partnership gives students the chance to work with a population they don't often find in their nursing school experience," said UNLV nursing professor Cheryl Bowles, who has taught past nursing courses at Opportunity Village. "In addition, working with the Opportunity Village staff has led students to gain an appreciation for what caregivers and community organizations can accomplish in their efforts to serve people in need."
The School of Nursing began working with Opportunity Village in the spring of 2007. In addition to basic health screenings, students have developed interventions to improve dental hygiene, nutrition, fitness and manual dexterity among the mentally disabled adults at Opportunity Village and stress reduction programs for staff.
To learn more about Opportunity Village, please visit www.opportunityvillage.org. Additional information about research and programming in the UNLV School of Nursing can be found at nursing.unlv.edu.
