Villanova, PA, March 18, 2008 — Celebrating National Nurse Anesthetist Week meant giving time to others for the junior and senior students from the joint Villanova University College of Nursing and Crozer-Chester Medical Center School of Nursing Anesthesia program. Starting January 20, students visited three soup kitchens in the Philadelphia area to serve meals and assist those in need. This was part of a statewide coalition for nurse anesthetist students against poverty and hunger in Pennsylvania.
Students arrived early in the morning to help prepare meals, set tables, distribute snack bags, and donate baked goods. For each of the five nights approximately 250 meals were served. The students joined guests as they ate, talking about their role as nurse anesthetists and also answering healthcare questions. Guests were receptive to the students, following advice to have wounds and blood pressures checked at a nearby clinic.
“It was an honor to take part in this project,” says Marie A. DeFrancesco-Loukas, RN, MSN, CRNP, SRNA, a post-graduate nurse anesthesia senior student. The Villanova-Crozer students are presenting this project at the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) meeting this April in Hershey, Pa. They have already been recognized for similar outreach work in the recent past. They won a national award for "Project Innocence" where they supported the Amish community after a devastating shooting incident last year.
Senior student Marie A. DeFrancesco-Loukas with a premature infant. She examined the baby and discussed health issues specific to premature infants with the mother.
Junior student Krzysztof Stypulkowski serves meals to soup kitchen guests in Philadelphia during National Nurse Anesthetist Week in January
Russell Bowers, a senior
nurse anesthesia student,
meets with local residents
at a soup kitchen in
Philadelphia.
