Community nurses are on the forefront of nutrition programs

When Courtney Jones, BSN, RN, was a college nurse at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., in 2011, she and two colleagues began a bunch called The Ladies of Dunbar to mentor and support the college’s female students. “We noticed that students needed formal guidance on things like proper hygiene, what to wear for an interview and how to prepare for college,” Jones said. However, as a health care skilled, Jones made sure the group also included good health lessons. “Being a nurse, I wanted to include elements of wellness and nutrition as well.” The Dunbar ladies met several times per week after school to learn life skills and discuss food regimen and nutrition. “We talked about proper nutrition and what foods they should and shouldn’t eat,” she said. “Their diet consisted of a lot of takeaways, so we discussed alternatives to the food they bought.” Like Jones, who’s currently an interim nurse on Unit 3 for youngsters’s school services on the National Children’s Health System in Washington, D.C., nurses across the United States realize the importance of healthy eating. Many have created or manage programs that provide weight management and nutrition lessons in lower socioeconomic urban areas where access to fresh fruit and veggies could also be limited. In 2010, Susan C. Kay, MSN, RN, CPNP, a pediatric nurse practitioner at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, New York, decided to take motion after her health system’s philanthropic foundation conducted a survey of sixth- and eighth-grade students classrooms within the Roosevelt (NY) Union Free School District, which found that 44% of scholars within the Long Island school district were obese or obese, which was higher than the CDC’s national average of about 30%. Using a $50,000 grant from the Long Island Community Foundation, she led a program to enhance the food regimen, nutrition and physical fitness of kids and their families. In addition to educating families a couple of healthy plate, Roosevelt Middle School staff taught families how you can read nutrition labels and educated them on appropriate each day intakes of fruit and veggies through the college’s health fair. “We used the computer to do virtual food shopping to help them make healthy choices or healthy substitutes for their favorite foods,” she said. Kay also runs an obesity clinic at NUMC for youngsters from predominantly underprivileged populations. “We provide nutritional counseling and try to encourage kids to exercise,” she said. “We don’t have a formal exercise program here, but we help them find resources in their communities for programs that will work best for them.” Staff also teach nutrition and how you can read food labels. “We educate them about fast food and teach them ‘think before you drink’ and ‘eat this, not that’,” she said. At the Stephen and Sandra Sheller eleventh Street Family Health Center at Drexel University – a community center that serves residents of 4 housing developments in North Philadelphia – patients have access to health and wellness programs that include fresh produce for purchase and group and individual culinary classes in the sphere of preparing healthy meals. “The cooking classes are offered at no cost to patients and are offered twice a week for adults,” said Patricia Gerrity, MD, RN, FAAN, center director and associate dean for community programs in Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions. “We also run Teens in the Kitchen classes and cooking classes specifically for pregnant women.” Gerrity said the middle participates in two programs that provide fresh produce to patients. “We participate in the Farms to Families program, which gives people access to healthy foods like fruits and vegetables at a low price,” she said. “They can even use their own [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] card that allows you to purchase $30 worth of fruits and vegetables for approximately $10-$15.” The exchange takes place once per week and includes recipes. Gerrity says a part of the health facility is a small urban farm and sometimes food is on the market to be used in cooking classes. “We also work with a group called Teens for Good who help out on our farm and who also have a farm two blocks from us,” Gerrity said the ability will grow and double in size to 17,000 square feet with hopes of including a industrial kitchen, what the community has been asking for. “If the kitchen was commercial grade, we could prepare and sell food,” she said. “The community wants access to nutrient-dense foods, smoothies, salads and wraps.” The center’s fitness trainer runs a “Biggest Losers” group and conducts a Polar Fitness Assessment, which determines patients’ fitness age. “He actually takes patients to the grocery store and talks to them about how to eat. He is truly a health coach,” Gerrity said. “Access to clinical care is important, but it won’t in itself make you healthier. You need all of these supports to take care of your health.”