SHARED THOUGHTS ON COMMUNITY SERVICE BY JULIE LEGG FNP STUDENT10/2015

Just a short note to thank you for inviting Family Nurse Practitioner students to share in the volunteer opportunity to serve some of Georgia's most underserved members of our Columbus community at the Ralston Health Fair this past Saturday. Attendees at the health fair ranged in age from 21 to mid 60's and included veterans, people with hearing and visual deficits, disabled individuals and others without income.

The Ralston Health Fair attendees were very appreciative of our efforts to help with their health care. We were able to check their blood pressure, blood glucose, total cholesterol level and assess their potential risk for stroke. In addition, they received gift bags with small toiletries, instant oatmeal packets and gift cards for Subway and other accessible restaurants within walking distance. Personally, I used lancets to check blood glucose on several of the attendees and I did not hear one complaint. I only heard words of gratitude and appreciation.

Georgia ranks 38th out of 50 states in health status according to American Health Ratings 2014. We rank 48th in high school graduations, 46th in birthweight and insurance coverage, 45th in access to dentists, 39th in hypertension, 38th in cardiovascular deaths, 37th in rate of diabetes mellitus, 36th in availability of primary care physicians and 33rd in rate of obesity. Not surprisingly, the leading causes of death in Georgians are heart disease, cancers and chronic respiratory disease. There is a tremendous opportunity to truly make a difference in these ratings through primary care practice and the full utilization of Nurse Practitioners.

Thanks again for the opportunity to receive an enormous amount of fulfillment and satisfaction in return for a very small investment of time.

Julie Legg RN BSN MSN-FNP Student at Columbus State University