The community that surrounds Reinhardt University offers many opportunities to students, from generous donations to internships and class projects with real, local businesses. In turn, Reinhardt faculty, staff and students make efforts to give back and get involved off campus.
Assistant Professor of Nursing Kimberly Parker recently got involved in two community events in Pickens County, where Reinhardt’s Cauble School of Nursing & Health Sciences campus currently resides. She finds importance in connecting with the community with the many possibilities to provide education or encouragement to those she meets.
“As an educator, I hope to enrich the minds and spirits of others, and I believe this enrichment should not be limited to the classroom,” said Parker. “Being involved in the community provides an opportunity to meet people where they work, play and live and to engage people in learning that is important to them. There is a challenge with stepping outside of the classroom and into a community, but the reward for providing meaningful experiences to me is both fun and fulfilling.”
Parker led a two-day CPR course for more than 300 seventh grade students at Pickens Junior High School. The event was socially distanced and included hands-only CPR training. Parker worked alongside science teachers to align learning objectives and administered knowledge tests before and after the course to evaluate progress.
In addition, Parker provided an hour and a half pediatric assessment training for six of the Pickens County School nurses. The training included a basic review of growth and development, case study discussions, real stories, documentation tips and a hands-on practice with an otoscope.
As a profession, Parker believes that nursing goes beyond providing care to patients in hospitals and offices, and that the impact of nursing care, advocacy and education can be seen throughout all parts of a community.
“For 18 years, nursing has ranked as the number one ethical and honest profession. Our communities depend on us to provide guidance on healthy decision-making and role modeling of healthy behaviors,” Parker said. “Being involved in community activities is a great way to identify healthcare needs of a specific group and to assist with planning appropriate strategies. Just as we take care of our patients in a hospital, I want our students to see the value of taking care of the members of their community by getting involved with committees, clubs, schools and anything else that they are excited about.”
To learn more about Reinhardt University’s Cauble School of Nursing & Health Sciences, visit https://www.reinhardt.edu/schools-programs/cauble-school-of-nursing-health-sciences/bachelor-of-science-in-nursing/.
