Individually, each of us holds certain talents; together, we a part of something bigger than ourselves. We are a part of improving lives, providing treatment and, above all, transforming health care. Check back here for stories about the talented students, alumni and employees of the Michigan State University College of Nursing and how, together, we will make a difference.
Read their stories below:
Nurse Practitioner students find need for oral care in clinic serving low-income patients
Cavities can lead to more than just sore teeth in children. Developmental issues, lack of sleep and other issues can arise without proper dental care.
But not everyone — especially those from low-income families — has access to a dentist, which is why two students in the Nurse Practitioner Program at the Michigan State University College of Nursing wanted to be a part of improving the health of area youth.
As part of the final project in their doctoral program, Alexandria Rocha and Lauren Esper researched and trained health care providers at Lansing-based Care Free Medical on how to apply fluoride varnish to young children. The fluoride application pilot program launched last October and wrapped up in January.
“What our project is doing is it's helping those children under five who don't have access to the care that they need and deserve to get the fluoride varnish. And it protects their teeth from developing caries or cavities,” said Rocha. “What this does is it ensures that they have a healthier life.”
The simple, two-minute process can ensure pediatric patients have healthier teeth and bodies and it has already been well received by patients. The initial goal was to apply the varnish to 50 percent of pediatric patients, which Esper and Rocha’s project exceeded, hitting 61 percent. The program has been so successful that the clinic is continuing to offer the treatment, even though the pilot is over.
Dr. Farhan Bhatti, the clinic’s chief executive officer and a faculty member in the MSU College of Human Medicine, said he has been pleased with the results and partnership with the College of Nursing.
“It was a really good opportunity for us to provide better care to our patients and to also give the students the opportunity to do their quality improvement project,” he said. “We don't have any intention of stopping this.”
The project was a natural extension of their graduate program, Esper and Rocha said.
“This program taught me how to care for the whole person and not just one aspect of their health,” said Esper, who also earned her undergraduate degree at MSU. “It's not just about their body, it's about their mind, it's about their spirit, and being a Spartan nurse really helped me cultivate that into my practice.”
Rocha noted her program has prepared her well for her chosen career.
“I always had a faculty that was reaching out to me just checking in,” Rocha said. “They always were advocating for us and pushing for us to reach that next step and reach our next goal.”
The students’ advisor, Dr. Kara Schrader, who is also director of the college’s Adult Gerontology and Family Nurse Practitioner Program, said she has been impressed with how the project has worked out and could see it being implemented in other primary care clinics.
“The leadership of these students, in collaboration with community leaders, demonstrates the impact of the DNP-prepared nurse practitioner in improving access to care for our most vulnerable population,” Schrader said. “This is just one of the many successful projects led by our advance practice DNP students.”
Meanwhile, Bhatti said he hoped experiences like this will help other nursing and health professions students see the value in providing care to the underserved.
“We have learners here that are working with us, and that's a really big part of service to the community because what the literature suggests is the single biggest predictor for whether or not the clinician will end up serving the underserved is if they have that exposure at some point during their training,” he noted. “So, it's really great that we can expose those up -and -coming clinicians to what it means to serve the underserved so that hopefully, when they go out in their careers, they'll also be motivated and driven to give it back.”
That won’t be a tough sell for Rocha, who has previously gone on mission trips to Belize.
“I saw the need and I wanted to just be there to be a resource and to be able to go back every few months to go and help,” she said. “I want to be able to help others when they're in their most vulnerable states.”
Nurse Anesthesiology students take their skills to communities who need them most
Often in the United States, we take for granted access to care for routine procedures. For six students in the Nurse Anesthesiology program, they were a part of bringing equitable health to Honduras.
“We were able to bring care that isn’t normally capable for those in need.” said Emily Ash “Providing low-cost care to those who need it most, we were able to assist with 35 procedures.”
During their mission trip they were able to assist with: cholecystectomies, hernias, cyst removals, hydrocele, orthodontics and a pediatric case. Through Hospital Socorro de lo Alto which is supported by American teams serving on short-term mission trips to provide specialty care.
“Without groups like ours the hospital would not be able to provide care to these communities.” said Ash.
The Hospital Socorro de lo Alto has 26 beds, 4 operating rooms, an emergency room, and pharmacy. The hospital advertises to the community and evaluates cases to see if the patients will be a fit for surgery.
“This experience was eye opening; it makes you appreciate what you have.” said Ash “The gratefulness of the patients rekindled my passion for providing care.”
The clinics screen patients on Thursday, then from Sunday to Wednesday they operate with three general surgeons, and each student is assigned to a case. The following Thursday the last patients are sent home.
“This experience reminded me how important it is to use the skills I have to give back to my community.” said Ash.
A passion for service follows nurse anesthesiology students beyond graduation. Alumnus Conor Early, MSN ’20, completed a mission trip to Liberia. Early collaborated with Western Michigan University’s medical school (WMed) to develop partnerships with Liberian hospital systems.
“The hope is that surgical residents from WMed can travel to Liberia and experience surgery in a setting that would not be possible in the United States,” said Early. “Liberian medical students and surgical residents would also have the opportunity to come to the U.S. to experience surgery and medicine rotations.”
Early also participated in this self-funded trip to assess the current state of anesthesia at Liberian hospitals.
During the group’s travels, Early engaged with several hospital systems caring for young children. He worked closely with local healthcare teams to set up treatment plans for success. One such occurrence involved assisting a local anesthesiologist with sedating a child to place a nasal feeding tube.
“I feel that because I was there that day to assist with the sedation, this child got the care he needed which may lead to a better long-term prognosis for him,” said Early. “He might not remember me or know what I did that day, but I will never forget him and the small impact I may have had on his life that day.”
Overseas mission work is something that many students in the program have taken on during the last few years.
“We are proud of our nurse anesthesiology students who are using their anesthesia skills to provide equitable global care," said Dr. Angella Ruley, assistant director of the CRNA program.
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