The profession of nursing isn't something students can learn just by reading books. It is essentially a hands-on career. That's why the nursing program at Greenfield Community College requires first year students to spend four hours a semester and second year students to spend six hours a semester working in the community in group or individual projects through the Service Learning program.

"Nursing is not just academic, it's holistic," said Julia Deane, second year nursing student. "To combine community service and learning is valuable for our training." From organizing blood drives to running health fairs at the local high schools, the idea is to find programs that both benefit the community and help the nursing students practice their technical skills and their communication skills. GCC Professor Emeritus Jean Simmons is the coordinator for the Service Learning program.

She said many of the programs the students participate in have them interacting with professional nurses. Flu and blood pressure clinics are often run at the senior centers with the staff nurse in charge of the site or town nurse. Students help Baystate Franklin Medical Center nurses and other healthcare providers run educational programs, and each year students help Turners Falls High School nurse Vickie Rowe conduct a health workshop at her school. "They work with other providers and see what the work world is like," Simmons said. "The program also ensures that when they graduate from GCC they realize there is a role for them in their own community with health education and health promotion."

The students are sometimes anxious going into their projects, but they inevitably have fun. Simmons said after projects, the students have to write journal entries on what they learned and how they felt about it. She said students often state how surprisingly fun the activities were and she always tells them "Yes, nursing can be rewarding and fun!" Deane, 26, thinks service learning is a great program because students can learn and practice and can also give back to the community, something they often feel they don't have enough time to do. "It's really nice that it's part of our program. A lot of people in nursing program don't have a lot of time to do community service, this gives you that little push" Deane said. "Also we are becoming nurses, and we do have valuable skills to contribute. This shows us how we can use those skills to help people right here in our own community."

Last year, Deane worked at the Flu clinic, where almost 400 people were vaccinated. She also worked at the Turners Falls High School health workshop and at the blood drive. This year she is heading up the team at the blood drive, which is aiming to recruit 150 donors to give a total of 80 pints of usable blood. She said the Red Cross has a blood shortage right now and in need of new donors. The drive will be on Nov. 7 at the downtown campus.

Other activities students have participated in include giving hearing and eye-sight exams to children about to enter Erving Elementary School's preschool program and a depression screening at GCC. A list of the projects is given to the students and they chose a project that interests them or they may decide to complete a project in their own community. Deane said it's nice to have this kind of variety because it means students get to work with patients from all different age groups. "It's fun to interact with people like that and it's rewarding," Deane said. "You're getting a sense that you are really making difference." For more information on the nursing program, please contact the Director, Terri Mariani, at 775-1630 or for Service Learning programs being offered in the community please contact Jean Simmons at 775-1631.