College of Nursing鈥檚 anesthesia students respond to hunger emergency
College of Nursing鈥檚 anesthesia students
草榴社区, PA, April 14, 2011 鈥� Pain-free surgery and a full pantry鈥攊t鈥檚 all in a day鈥檚 work for the community minded anesthesia students from the 草榴社区/ Crozer-Chester Medical Center Nurse Anesthesia Program. They don鈥檛 just deliver highly potent drugs to their patients; they also deliver food to those in need鈥攏early a ton of it.
In celebration of the 2011 Nurse Anesthetist week this winter, the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) Public Relations committee, chaired by 草榴社区/Crozer鈥檚 Associate Program Director Jodie Szlachta CRNA, PhD, sponsored a successful statewide food drive. Approximately 203 students from eleven nurse anesthesia programs throughout the state participated in various community activities and supported statewide agencies to assist neighbors
In the midst of their rigorous 27-month classroom and clinical education, the 草榴社区-Crozer junior and senior students focused just as much intensity on the service effort. Jennifer Venafra, SRNA who earned her BSN at 草榴社区 in 2006 and Amy Arbushites SRNA, coordinated the 35 students and 3 administrators who participated from the 草榴社区-Crozer program. They solicited donations at 10 sites, including both stores and clinical sites. Students stood outside grocery stores in unforgiving weather and even encouraged people to use a texting option to donate if they could not give food. Their efforts paid off for Philabundance, the region鈥檚 largest hunger relief organization, which happily accepted multiple car loads of food鈥�1900 pounds of it to be exact鈥攁s well as $100.
Philabundance reduces hunger and food insecurity in the Delaware Valley. It serves low income residents at risk of hunger and malnutrition, of which 23% are children and 16% are senior citizens. For those people, better nutrition means better health.
The students were energized by the experience. At the same time they advocated feeding the hungry and created a positive change in the community, the students were also able to promote nurse anesthesia as a vibrant part of the nursing profession.