Community Teaching Projects for the Nursing Student

While in the process of pursuing a degree or certificate in nursing, students often must formulate and execute a teaching project geared toward the community at large. Most of these projects are aimed at prevention, but others may teach awareness of common health problems in the target community. A good nursing student should be able to develop a comprehensive teaching project from starting points such as the ones listed below.

Contraceptives and Teen Pregnancy

Talk to a a group of teenage boys and girls about contraception. Make sure your group includes both teens without children, those who are expecting and teens who have children of their own. Keep in mind the cultural background of the teens in your group and tailor your project to their neighborhoods by mentioning locations and clinics where they can get contraceptives. Make sure to strictly adhere to the guidelines specified by your clinical instructor or lead nurses.

Obesity

Speak to your community group about the causes and effects of obesity. Discuss side effects such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes and decreased circulation. Provide guidelines for determining what is overweight, versus obese, and include ways to prevent obesity or weight gain. Include both biological factors and causes such as lack of activity or weight gain from medication. Finish up with treatment options such as diet, exercise, surgical intervention and medication.

Flu Season and Illness Prevention

If you work in a doctor's office, take a look at reasons people want to be seen. During cold and flu season, formulate a teaching project about airborne illnesses. Focus on the spread of germs, especially among children and the elderly, and talk about the common cold as well as the flu. Discuss prevention methods such as immunization, exercise and the proper amount of sleep to protect the immune system; the importance of washing your hands; and having a balanced diet.

Smoking

Create a teaching project centered around the negative aspects of smoking. Talk to children and preteens and emphasize the negative health effects of smoking. Talk about the chemicals in cigarette smoke, as well as where else they can be found, such as in ammonia, acetone and formaldehyde. Have them discuss how they have heard smoking is bad, then expand on diseases such as lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease. Discuss the aesthetic effects of smoking, such as dry or sagging skin.