A new public health clinical site in Holmen provided a great example of what partnerships can look like.
The clinical site offered free wellness checks and preventative care for the public through a partnership between Winona State University and the Holmen Area Community Center. Over an eight-week period in fall 2024, undergraduate nursing students from the Department of Nursing provided care from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays at the Holmen Area Community Center.
“Clinical field experiences like the ones our students experienced at Holmen Community Center allow students to interact with clients to deliver health promotion activities, screen for health problems, and provide education that can inform health decisions.” said Chief Nurse Administrator and Associate Professor Lori Rhudy.
Nursing students were able to practice hands-on public health services within the community, including blood pressure, vision, hearing, and cognitive assessments, as well as educational programs.
“This clinical site helped me realize how important public and preventative health is,” said nursing student Chloe Emberson, “It gave me a better perspective on the nursing care needed outside of the hospital.”
Throughout the experience, students and members formed close connections by eating lunch together, during fitness classes, playing games, and chatting during weekly Wellness Checks. By engaging with members at the site, students gained insights into members’ specific health needs and barriers, such as access to care and health literacy.
“When students visited members in the dining room or during a Wellness Check session, members would open up and share about any health concerns or issues,” said Amy Brezinka, the Program Director of the Holmen Area Community Center, “Students developed trust with our members, making them more aware of the importance of self- care and wellness.”
“The opportunity for WSU students to engage with community members through this clinical experience allowed them to experience firsthand the challenges people face in preventing and managing health problems,” said Rhudy.
“It is experiences such as this one at Holmen Community Center that allow our graduates to take on public health nursing roles to advance the health of individuals and communities.”
