TCU accelerated baccalaureate nursing students created a targeted wellness initiative for faculty/staff members at Charles E. Nash Elementary school and recently hosted an interactive health fair.

Attendance at the health fair was higher than any other activity in the semester-long initiative designed, organized and implemented by nursing students, said Patty Newcomb, assistant professor in the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences, who teaches the community clinical classes.

The health fair focused on heart health, healthy eating, stress management, asthma and women’s health. Each interactive booth allowed Nash Elementary faculty/staff members to assess risks and their current health or how to recognize and manage health problems. Booths contained information in English and Spanish.

The health fair and other activities throughout the semester—a Pilates and yoga demonstration, a healthy food-tasting and health information bulletin board—are part of an ongoing TCU-Nash partnership. The partnership began when nursing students worked with the elementary students. School administration and faculty members then asked for a faculty/staff program. Nursing students assessed the needs and interests of faculty/staff members last fall.

Based on the assessment and more in-depth interviews conducted this semester, the nursing students determined that faculty/staff members wanted direction and specific ways to start eating healthier and exercising more.

Limited time has been the most challenging aspect of the initiative, Lanly Pham, an accelerated nursing student, said. The nursing students visited the elementary school once a week as part of the their community clinical, but faculty/staff members only had short breaks during the day.

“The relationships that have developed between faculty/staff members and the students, however, have made a difference,” said Pam Frable, assistant professor in the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “The relationship allows the community—faculty/staff members—to get engaged and empowered and communicate what they need. The nursing students become facilitators who do what the community would do if members had the specific knowledge and resources.”

“Health of the citizens of this nation and the health of the global population will depend much more on public health (population) interventions than individual acute care interventions,” Newcomb said. “Students benefit from learning concepts related to population-based care because it is exceedingly difficult to understand health care policy and health care systems otherwise.”

Students in the TCU accelerated baccalaureate nursing program have a variety of undergraduate degrees. Some students, like Sandra Hooker who has MBA, even have advanced degrees. These students complete a 15-month program to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

“It’s a treat to go back to go back to school and learn something totally different,” said Hooker, who worked in sales and marketing for 25 years until she wanted a change and started looking for a second career with diverse opportunities and flexibility.

Pham cited the high demand for nurses as one reason she enrolled in the TCU program after earning a degree in computer engineering. Both Pham and Hooker want to help older adults when they complete the program in August.

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