From articles in the local Daily Pennsylvanian to Mississippi's flagship paper, The Sun Herald, much has already been written about our seven nursing seniors who traveled to Pearlington, Mississippi to address the post-Katrina health needs of the community. As Dean of a school that will soon be graduating these remarkable, inspiring students, there are just a few points I wish to add.
First, the opportunity for our students to participate in such an extraordinary experience would not have come about without the dedication and support of our faculty. Professors Julie Sochalski, a community health nurse, and Norma Cuellar, a Mississippi native with prior experience in post-Katrina recovery efforts, led the nursing students to Pearlington, and they could not have done a better job. Dr. Sochalski was even selected for the Dean's Award for Exemplary Teaching for her role in this exceptional learning and humanitarian experience. Our students' accomplishments are, in no small measure, a reflection of the mentorship they have received.
And their experiences have been enhanced –– or rather, enabled –– by cross-campus partnerships. Thanks to my colleague Dean Richard Gelles from the School of Social Policy and Practice, who recognized the need for multi-level, collaborative partnerships between schools, the nursing students were able to partner with the SP2 Feldman Initiative - Hancock County and travel to Pearlington. There, alongside their colleagues from SP2, engineering, and dental medicine, they truly made an impact. The seven nursing seniors –– Pheobe Askie, Anne-Marie Beitler, Alexis Kalman, Danielle Klosiewicz, Gina McShea, Stephanie Ng, and Sofia Wronski –– spent their winter break working tirelessly. Each morning, the students traveled in pairs –– one nursing student, one SP2 student –– and conducted physical and mental health assessments in the homes of Pearlington residents. When we speak of interdisciplinary learning at the university, this serves as a perfect example of what we mean: students working with each other, learning from one another, and combining and applying their specialized knowledge to combat a larger societal problem.
Traveling door-to-door, they met J.P.*, a 65-year-old man with hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, who has spent the majority of his time and money rebuilding his home. When the students met him, he was unable to work his glucometer and did not know what constituted a normal blood sugar level, admitting "I only check it sometimes." Students also met Donna*, who stayed in Mississippi until the day before the storm and barely made it out. Two and a half years later, her home has just been rebuilt, but the septic tank continues to spew sewage into her backyard. She suffers from bipolar disorder, lacks health insurance, and cannot read or write. Her seven-year-old son, Seth, has recurrent dreams of drowning and a fear that his mother will die. Another Pearlington resident, Miss L*, is a 50-year-old single woman with a past medical history of depression and seasonal allergies. In the months following Hurricane Katrina, she lived in a non-air conditioned car with another adult and her dog. Speaking to the nursing student who conducted a health assessment on her, she said, "I am a single woman with no one to advocate for me, and everyone is letting me down." (* Names have been changed)
The healthcare needs faced by Pearlington residents remain overwhelming and under-addressed. When the nursing students concluded their visit with a health fair for residents of Hancock County, they found 77 percent of residents had BMIs in the overweight/obese category and 65 percent suffered from elevated glucose levels.
In Mississippi and elsewhere, the problems of healthcare, access to care, and affordability of services are huge. Our students see this first hand, and they continue to impress me by their commitment to caring to change the world. The seven seniors who traveled to Pearlington are remarkable individuals, but they are also representative of a school that is filled with inspiring young adults who will, no doubt, change the world. In fact, once the announcement was made that the School of Nursing would be traveling to the Gulf, more than 30 students volunteered, a testament to our shared goal of engaging beyond our backyard.
On April 21st, as the seven students detailed their experiences in Pearlington to fellow students, faculty members, staff, and friends, the one thing I found especially unique and inspiring is that these seniors, on the verge of graduation, remain committed to both the communities they serve and the school that has equipped them with the knowledge needed to truly bring about change. They continue to ask, "How can we, as Penn Nurses, create affordable, sustainable resources that address the physical and mental health needs of these residents?" In a profession as enriching as nursing, they realize that there is always more work to do, more questions to ask, more answers to solve. And I could not be more proud of the fact that they will enter the workforce ready to solve whatever challenges are thrown their way.
If you have not done so already, read about their experiences at: http://pennnursinginpearlington.blogspot.com/
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