Hussain Seoud and Brandon Pasley won first place for their project, “Mental Health & Wellness at Affton High School.” (Photo courtesy of the College of Nursing)

Although many people likely associate nursing solely with hospitals, a recent event hosted by the College of Nursing at the University of Missouri–St. Louis turned that notion on its head.

Last Wednesday, the college hosted its annual Spring Research Day, featuring 18 electronic poster presentations highlighting the work that undergraduate students had conducted with various organizations across the community. The presentations served as the culmination of several semesters’ worth of work in the college’s Community-Based Clinical Education Program, which is designed to show students how health care is delivered in a variety of settings outside of the traditional acute care hospital experience.

Rachel Emery and Lindsey Marske won second place for their project, “Continuation of Health Promotion in the Aging Population at Oasis.” (Photo courtesy of the College of Nursing)

Students were matched with various organizations in the community, including Affinia Healthcare, the Alzheimer’s Association and Living with Purpose, and created large-scale capstone projects tailored to the needs and requests of each agency. Their research covered everything from stress and anxiety among middle schoolers to diabetes among older Vietnamese Americans to the impact exercise, diet and substance use has on heart health.

After a welcome and introduction by Interim Dean Judith Lewis and Associate Professor Sheila Grigsby, Ronald Griffin, the COO of People’s Health Centers, opened the event with a talk entitled, “Look Where Research Has Brought Us: Unveiling Nursing Research Importance.” By harnessing the power of nursing research, Griffin argued, we can confront health disparities head on, advocate for the marginalized and promote a more equitable health care system.

“Through research, we gain invaluable insights to root causes, paving the way for tangible solutions to ensure that everyone has access to care that they deserve,” he said. “As we stand on the threshold of a new era in health care, the importance of nursing research has never been more evident. The guiding light illuminates our path towards a future where vitality and well-being flourishes.”

Third place went to “Increasing Community Health Through Socialization and Education at St. Andrews Senior Solutions.” Students Cassie Cunningham, Henry Gloriod, Celeste Haefner, Victoria Klausner, Alexis Kramer, Ashley Odle, Grace Smiley and Torie Taylor collaborated on the project. (Photo courtesy of the College of Nursing)

After Griffin’s talk, Maly Bartlett, a PhD graduate and O’Grady Scholarship recipient, presented on “U.S. Military Veterans’ Transition to University: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Moral Injury, and Academic Outcomes.”

Students then shared the projects they came up with for each community-based organization, including exploring disease prevention through healthy hygiene practices at Mesnier Primary School and improving maternal health through nutrition and safe habits education at Neighborhood Leadership Fellows. One group held a health and resource fair and clothing drive for clients of Living with Purpose, while another studied the reasons parents choose not to get their children vaccinated.

Three awards were given for the presentations:

• First place: “Mental Health & Wellness at Affton High School” by Brandon Pasley and Hussain Seoud
• Second place: “Continuation of Health Promotion in the Aging Population at Oasis” by Rachel Emery and Lindsey Marske
• Third place: “Increasing Community Health Through Socialization and Education at St. Andrews Senior Solution” by Cassie Cunningham, Henry Gloriod, Celeste Haefner, Victoria Klausner, Alexis Kramer, Ashley Odle, Grace Smiley and Torie