Ryan Thompson

Canfield Fair Journal

The community that we are in I feel is very abundant in the choices we have for health

care. We took blood pressures as a clinical group at the fair on Thursday September 2, 2021. I

enjoyed the experience a lot because it is not something, I get to do out in the environment like

that. I currently work at St. Elizabeth’s Boardman location, so I get to see it in a controlled

environment. The health building in the fair is really something to appreciate as I get older for

the community as a whole. I understand healthcare is a very expensive thing so when there are

free opportunities in our community, I admire the people doing it. Being able to bring some

peace of mind in my experience at the fair was nice to see.

I was able to teach some of the people I took blood pressures of about blood pressure and

how it can be affected by any little thing. An average of the pressures I took probably ranged

somewhere about 130-140/ 70-90. Some people were very concerned because they had been

taught 120/80 was what it is supposed to be every time. That just isn’t the case in most cases

though, especially with people standing out in the sun and eating fair food all day. I was also able

to teach people what to look for when their blood pressure is being taken. Which I think it shows

some level of mastery when you are able to teach people how to demonstrate a skill. One

gentleman was amazed by it pretty much cuts off the blood flow and then the pressure is

controlled by the pulse returning. It was amazing to see the level of interest he took in it because

I remember being in amazement when I heard the first blood pressure I ever took.

I got to see many cool things and help more than just medically. I was walking out to my

car when it was a little later, and saw a car stuck in the mud with some people who just looked
defeated. Without hesitation I walked over to the car and asked if they wanted some help. They

said yes, they did, and they were amazed how I was actually able to get the car unstuck because

they were worried about how it was going to get out. I think that it is of some credit to the

nursing program that I was able to speak up and help them with a problem because this program

has helped with my communication skills. Medically speaking I was of some help to them

because the look of fear of being stuck was very prevalent on their faces, so to relieve some of

that anxiety for them was also very nice.

Overall, the fair was a great experience to get out in the community setting and I am very

happy we got to be a part of it. Between teaching people what I am doing and teaching them how

they can more normalize their blood pressure, it was great to be a part of their healthy lifestyles.

Hopefully that information is retained, and they are able to think of the things I said when living

their daily lives.

Objectives used: 7,8 (Underlined.)