KSU Tusc nursing students assist diabetic patients at TCWU
The Tuscarawas Clinic for the Working Uninsured has gone to new heights in serving the needs of the diabetic patients who consider the clinic their home for primary medical care. The diabetic patients are offered a 12-week education course facilitated by two Kent State University at Tuscarawas nursing students from the graduating class of 2011. This project fell under the Service Learning Program at Kent State Tuscarawas, under the leadership of Denise Petite.
Kayla Feher and Polly Brogan, both nursing graduates from 2011 class, took on the challenge of designing a 12-week education curriculum specifically for those patients diagnosed with the chronic disease, diabetes. The program consists of an overview of disease education, medication management, and developing a healthy lifestyle including a new way of eating and incorporating exercise into their daily lives. “We wanted to help the clinic, but with our school schedule it was hard to work clinic nights, so we thought of helping the clinic in this fashion and presented the idea to KSU and the clinic. Everyone thought it was a great project and agreed to work together for the patients’ best interest,” shared Feher.
“Changing a person’s eating habits is not an easy task to teach, let alone convincing them that eating differently can decrease their diabetic complications. We wanted them to be engaged in the process of change, therefore creating more excitement within them,” shared Feher. “We decided that teaching them how to eat healthy was something they would not relate to unless they had hand-on experience. We wanted to show them how to actually eat healthier while saving money,” explained Feher.
The patients at the clinic are the working uninsured, but fall under the 199 percent federal poverty guidelines. “When the patients are challenged financially, they are forced to decide how to spend their hard-earned dollars and unfortunately, healthy food falls to the bottom of the priority list,” shared Feher.
After a few classes and learning the struggles that the diabetic patients were facing, Feher and Brogan had the idea to begin a clinic garden for the patients. They began soliciting donations from various sources in order to build the perfect vegetable garden. “Ferris Chevrolet donated a 40-by-60 plot of land specifically for our garden and Jacinta Tucker graciously financed the initial tilling of the land. After the ground was ready, Dr. Jeff Cameron donated manure,” shared Brogan. When the land was ready, Stutzman Lawn & Landscaping donated seeds and Carol Dean, clinic board member and volunteer, donated plants to get the garden started. “The majority of our garden was grown from seeds, which is a huge accomplishment for our patients. They were able to see what a $3 pouch of seeds could produce and how much money they would save in groceries each week to feed their family,” explained Brogan.
The TCWU garden is currently filled with herbs, eggplant, watermelon, green beans, a variety of peppers, squash and tomatoes, corn, cabbage, lettuce, and pumpkins. The volunteers and patients have been weeding the garden several times a week and harvesting some of the vegetables, since about three weeks ago. The patients that are involved with the education classes are enjoying the vegetables in new recipes distributed by Feher and Brogan.
The garden has been an amazing added component to the education series. It has taught the patients how to take control of their eating habits by giving them a different option than they had in the past. It is providing exercise for the patients who are participating in the weeding and harvesting, and it is proving the point of a garden being cost-effective for patients who are struggling with making decisions about medication and food and what their income can afford. “This experience has been such an amazing one that we have the second year nursing students from KSU Tusc. involved with the monthly program,” explained Feher.
The Tuscarawas Clinic for the Working Uninsured is seeing an increased number of patients suffering from both diabetes and hypertension. The clinic is planning an education series to address the hypertensive patients in addition to the diabetics. Union Hospital and the Tuscarawas YMCA have both partnered with the clinic’s education efforts by donating classroom space. The clinic is hosting education classes the first Wednesday of every month at the YMCA beginning in October, but this series will not include a membership to the YMCA facility.
For more information on the clinic and to determine eligibility for clinic services, contact the organization at 330-364-1853. The education courses are only accessible to the patients who consider the clinic their primary medical care facility.
Kayla Feher and Polly Brogan, both nursing graduates from 2011 class, took on the challenge of designing a 12-week education curriculum specifically for those patients diagnosed with the chronic disease, diabetes. The program consists of an overview of disease education, medication management, and developing a healthy lifestyle including a new way of eating and incorporating exercise into their daily lives. “We wanted to help the clinic, but with our school schedule it was hard to work clinic nights, so we thought of helping the clinic in this fashion and presented the idea to KSU and the clinic. Everyone thought it was a great project and agreed to work together for the patients’ best interest,” shared Feher.
“Changing a person’s eating habits is not an easy task to teach, let alone convincing them that eating differently can decrease their diabetic complications. We wanted them to be engaged in the process of change, therefore creating more excitement within them,” shared Feher. “We decided that teaching them how to eat healthy was something they would not relate to unless they had hand-on experience. We wanted to show them how to actually eat healthier while saving money,” explained Feher.
The patients at the clinic are the working uninsured, but fall under the 199 percent federal poverty guidelines. “When the patients are challenged financially, they are forced to decide how to spend their hard-earned dollars and unfortunately, healthy food falls to the bottom of the priority list,” shared Feher.
After a few classes and learning the struggles that the diabetic patients were facing, Feher and Brogan had the idea to begin a clinic garden for the patients. They began soliciting donations from various sources in order to build the perfect vegetable garden. “Ferris Chevrolet donated a 40-by-60 plot of land specifically for our garden and Jacinta Tucker graciously financed the initial tilling of the land. After the ground was ready, Dr. Jeff Cameron donated manure,” shared Brogan. When the land was ready, Stutzman Lawn & Landscaping donated seeds and Carol Dean, clinic board member and volunteer, donated plants to get the garden started. “The majority of our garden was grown from seeds, which is a huge accomplishment for our patients. They were able to see what a $3 pouch of seeds could produce and how much money they would save in groceries each week to feed their family,” explained Brogan.
The TCWU garden is currently filled with herbs, eggplant, watermelon, green beans, a variety of peppers, squash and tomatoes, corn, cabbage, lettuce, and pumpkins. The volunteers and patients have been weeding the garden several times a week and harvesting some of the vegetables, since about three weeks ago. The patients that are involved with the education classes are enjoying the vegetables in new recipes distributed by Feher and Brogan.
The garden has been an amazing added component to the education series. It has taught the patients how to take control of their eating habits by giving them a different option than they had in the past. It is providing exercise for the patients who are participating in the weeding and harvesting, and it is proving the point of a garden being cost-effective for patients who are struggling with making decisions about medication and food and what their income can afford. “This experience has been such an amazing one that we have the second year nursing students from KSU Tusc. involved with the monthly program,” explained Feher.
The Tuscarawas Clinic for the Working Uninsured is seeing an increased number of patients suffering from both diabetes and hypertension. The clinic is planning an education series to address the hypertensive patients in addition to the diabetics. Union Hospital and the Tuscarawas YMCA have both partnered with the clinic’s education efforts by donating classroom space. The clinic is hosting education classes the first Wednesday of every month at the YMCA beginning in October, but this series will not include a membership to the YMCA facility.
For more information on the clinic and to determine eligibility for clinic services, contact the organization at 330-364-1853. The education courses are only accessible to the patients who consider the clinic their primary medical care facility.
Published: August 22, 2011
