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The pioneering program, under the supervision of licensed family counselors, helps many poor and underserved families resolve problems, while putting a premium on improving students’ success in school, Gerrard said. “Without our counselors, many of these schools wouldn’t have a counselor at all,” he said.
The program also benefits USF students hired for such intern counseling jobs, providing them with the opportunity to complete some of the 3,000 hours of training required to become licensed counselors, Gerrard said.
In the latest coordinated effort, which began this spring, USF School of Nursing students started part-time jobs as school nurses and health instructors at eight Alliance schools. The students, registered nurses working toward a master’s degree in nursing, conduct health screenings and provide nutritional education and disaster preparedness training.
San Francisco’s inner-city Catholic schools have gone without nursing and health care services for years, but USF hopes to end that drought by taking up the call to minister to those most in need. As is the case with many school districts, budgetary constraints have put the hiring of health care professionals out of reach for most area Catholic schools, according to Sr. Maureen Hilliard, Alliance executive director. “The only health education that is currently done at the schools is done by the teachers in the class- room, unless one of the teachers brings in a guest,” Sr. Hilliard said.
She described the alliance between the School of Nursing, the Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, and the Alliance as “cutting edge.” “Providing this service to underserved students in inner-city Catholic schools responds to the Catholic mission to reach out to our brothers and sisters in need and to do justice,” Sr. Hilliard said.
As part of the School of Nursing’s Registered Nurse-to-Master of Science in Nursing (RN-to-MSN) program, USF nursing students worked part-time in Alliance schools during the spring semester, with a different set of nurses taking over in the fall.
Nursing students will work all day on Wednesdays, treating headaches, upset stomachs, and other common ailments, but primarily focus on overall health and nutrition, said Kimberleigh Cox, one of the USF nursing instructors involved in the program.
Alliance school principals determine what services are most needed at each school, but USF nursing students typically provide preliminary vision examinations, spinal screenings, asthma and diabetes care, as well as nutritional education, Cox said.
USF nursing students will also work with families to develop care plans for students with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, and to refer those without a primary care physician to low-cost resources, said Judith Karshmer, dean of the School of Nursing.
Not only will students and parents of Alliance schools benefit through improved health, but much like the family counseling students, USF nursing students will receive credit toward the 135 hours of clinical community service required of all RN-to-MSN students to graduate.
“This is great for USF students, as they will be able to bring their nursing background and skills, and make a real world impact while they advance their knowledge about health promotion, disease prevention, risk reduction, and keeping people healthy,” Karshmer said.
Beyond completing the 135 hours of required community service, RN-to-MSN students will study statistics, community health theory, and other courses during the two-year program. “For us, it’s about building community and building a workforce that has a working knowledge in school health,” said Dina Silverthorne, USF nursing instructor.
An additional benefit of exposing young students to nurses and the nursing profession is that some may consider joining the growing health care profession, Karshmer said.
“This is the start of what I hope will become an important part of the School of Nursing’s outreach to all the Catholic schools in San Francisco,” she said.
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