Establishing Partnerships To Provide Health Education In Appalachian Schools: An Approach To Service Learning

Service learning is a form of collaboration between an educational facility and a community agency. The concept of service learning is an innovative teaching method designed to benefit both collaborating partners through respect of each other’s knowledge, expertise and skills. Needs and goals of both partners are met through many different types of service learning projects. Examples of such projects in which the OUC nursing program has participated include health fairs in the middle and high school populations, health education in elementary classrooms, health fairs in local industry, and working with the elderly in the community. The Ohio University-Chillicothe Nursing Program, located in a section of Ohio know as Appalachia, believes in the concept of service learning to promote health and well-being in the community. Health care in the Appalachian area, particularly health promotion and disease prevention, is a challenge to health care providers as residents in this area have a fatalistic view of health - “what will be, will be”. Service learning projects are an excellent way to provide health promotion education to those who may not seek this out on their own. The collaborations formed between agencies and the nursing program benefit both partners. The nursing students are exposed to the health care beliefs and need of Appalachia on a first-hand basis through an innovative approach in clinical education. Community agencies benefit by being able to expand the amount of health education they can offer which increases their manpower with use of the students.