Mackenzie Hawk Can eld Fair Journal Page 1

To start, I chose to do my two hour clinical rotation at the Can eld Fair with my

former Fundamentals clinical instructor, Danielle Class RN, on the last day of the fair in

the middle of the afternoon. It was cool outside at rst due to the small rain showers,

but once my shift starter, it soon became very warm and humid. Most of the people I

took blood pressures on had been at the fair for most of that day, and were “hot and

about ready to go home.” Many of them were of the older population, but to my

surprise, the oldest patients had the best blood pressures! I met a ninety year old man

whose blood pressure was more than likely better than my own, and after I was

nished checking it, he thanked me and continued on pushing his wife of 61 years in a

wheelchair around the fair. I had a few patients with high blood pressures, but most of

them expected it to be high due to previously known conditions such as water

retention and essential hypertension as already diagnosed by a medical professional.

Some children even came through the booth to get their blood pressures checked, and

it was very nice to see their interest in their own health.

One of the course objectives that this clinical experience helped solidify was the

application of educational theory, patient education, and how it is possible to

incorporate these subjects for families into public events. As previously mentioned,

there were volunteers of all ages participating in the hypertension screening, and there

were many opportunities to educate the public. Some people asked questions about

the causes or underlying risk factors associated with hypertension, and some who

were diagnosed with the disease inquired about the di erent routes of treatment and

levels of severity. I was able to explain the importance of the following the medication

regimen prescribed by the doctor exactly the way it was ordered, due to the
fi
fi
fi
ff
fi
 Mackenzie Hawk Can eld Fair Journal Page 2

astounding numbers of noncompliance, and how the body needs a consistent supply

of the medication in order for it to reach its maximum therapeutic e ect. I was also able

to explain to children how the heart acts as a pump to move blood around their bodies,

and how each sound signi ed the squeeze and release of the muscle. I was able to

relate exercising skeletal muscles through athletic training to the relativity of keeping a

heart in mint condition for optimum e ciency throughout the lifespan. The other course

objective that this experience touched on was the fact that the community is a setting

in which healthcare delivery takes place. There was a whole building dedicated to

health promotion and various disease awareness organizations in which fair patrons

could pick up brochures and nd information on the resources available to the

community. This method is one of the best ways to reach a large amount of people

from a multitude of backgrounds and ages within the community.

This experience was a great way to practice and solidify a very important

nursing skill that will be used in the eld for the entirety of a nurse’s career. I learned a

lot about health care education delivery to a bigger variety of people as compared to

other clinical experiences.

fi
fi
fi
fi
ffi
ff