O’Reilly Center for Hope

A partnership between the MSU Care Clinic and The O’Reilly Center for Hope offered several nursing students an opportunity to host a senior event day at the O’Reilly Center of Hope.

Michelle Garand, Vice President of Affordable Housing and Homeless Prevention at the center, wanted to offer an event to lower-income seniors from the surrounding area. This was a perfect chance for the students to jump in and learn more about the community surrounding the old Pepperdine school and how they could make a positive impact on this vulnerable population. The Pepperdine school has been renovated and offers a host of service agencies to tackle homelessness in this region.

The students coordinated the event and reached out to the MSU audiology department, the Vision Rehab Center of the Ozarks, Empower Abilities, and Convoy of Hope to participate and provide information, services and two bags of free grocery items per participant. The nursing students staffed their own Wellness Table where they took blood pressures, educated participants on healthy food choices, and how to use easy strength training and stretching exercises to maintain their agility.

BSN Senior, Andie Myers, shared on her experience at O’Reilly Center for Hope.

“Working at the O’Reilly Center for Hope has been a unique clinical experience. Getting to serve a different patient population, from what we are used to in the hospital, and connecting them with various resources within our community has been extremely rewarding.”

Northview Senior Center

Seniors from the Northview Senior Center were treated November 10th to an event hosted by BSN seniors. The students are learning how nurses can have a positive impact on their community by developing relationships, lending a listening ear, and offering wellness advice to those in their community who may live alone. It is a well-known fact that socialization helps seniors stay emotionally, mentally, and physically fit and prevents social isolation.

BSN Senior, Claire Harter, said she really enjoyed talking with all the members and hearing their life stories.

“It was nice to be able to help them in all different aspects from technology to blood pressure to new exercises, they were always appreciative of our help. I’m going to miss going there every week!”

At both events, there was a raffle for participants to enter a chance to win prizes such as personal automatic blood pressure cuffs, pill organizers, and journals among other items. These items were purchased through a gift from one of the student’s churches that provides donations to organizations that improve communities.

Contributions by: Stephanie Nikbakht, DNP, PPCNP-BC (Assistant Professor, School of Nursing), Andie Myers (BSN Student), and Claire Harter (BSN Student)