University Of Detroit Mercy and the Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

1. University Of Detroit Mercy and theCommunication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Jean Gash, PhD, APRN, BC Diana McKittrick, BA Robert Heiss, BSN, BS

2. Background • Two years ago UDM community faculty were asked by DHHS Michigan to educate the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Flint about resources available to the Deaf population who had been affected by the Flint Water Crisis • To facilitate the process of locating the Deaf population in Flint we were introduced to the Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Director

3. Background Students under the guidance of the CAC director and the Community Health Professor designed a health fair in order to: a) Begin to build trust between the university and the Deaf community b) Identify those individuals in the Deaf community who were eligible for resources in connection with the lead crisis in Flint c) Help Deaf participants sign the Lead Registry

4. Background • Data related to perceptions about the health fair from both students and Deaf participants were collected and analyzed

5. Background • Students were requested to write a reflection about their experiences following their interactions with Deaf people • These reflections produced very important information not only for nursing education but for All health care workers

6. Student Quote’s • “ This was a very unique clinical experience that most nursing students do not have the opportunity to participate in.” • “Prior to this health fair experience, I had no previous interaction working with those in the deaf community who live with other people who are deaf. Being able to get to spend the day interacting with this community enhanced my education by allowing me to do something that put me a little outside of my comfort zone.”

7. Student Quotes • “The health fair made me aware of health disparities to a population of individuals that rarely gets discussed. If you do not know anyone who is deaf or work with them, it is hard to understand the disparities they have.”

8. Student Quotes • “I personally learned a lot from our trip to Flint, I learned that I was automatically believing that these individuals were perceiving everything in health the same as I was and that simply was not the case.” • “I felt really good about communicating with our Deaf participants, I think we really understood each other.”

9. Participants Perception of the Health Fair • Participant’s perceptions will be discussed by Diana McKittrick

10. Clinical Placement at Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing • Fall 2018 was the first actual community placement for Nursing Students • The decision to place students at this site was based on the data obtained from our pilot health fair • The primary objective for students at this site was to actively participate in evaluation of health care needs in the Deaf population, and attempt to meet these identified needs through their health promotion project

11. Health Fair - Fall 2018 • The health fair was extremely successful. At this fair we had over 120 Deaf participants • The Participants signed the Lead Registry

12. Health Fair Topics • Men’s health • Oral Hygiene • Diabetes • Cardio vascular health • Nutrition • Blood pressure screening, etc.

13. Community Nursing Clinical Objectives for Detroit Mercy • Examine the role and context of community/public health nursing practice • Examine nursing interventions that address health promotion and risk reduction, across the lifespan. • Analyze the role of the nurse in promoting the safety of the population in collaboration with local, state and federal agencies. • Analyze the effect of social determinants on the quality of health of individuals and families in the community. • Examine underlying ethical principles within public/community health. • Apply Mercy and Jesuit values, which influence, heath care interventions in the community. • Evaluate the role of global health issues and the impact on health at the local level.

14. All clinical placement objectives were met!

15. Diana McKittrick • Participants were surveyed following the pilot health fair • Questions from the survey was signed by an interpreter sitting within the group • All attendees reported that this health fair was informative, well worth their time and would attend another health fair if there was one

16. Participants answers • Six of the attendees reported that this was their first experience attending anything related to health issues that they could understand and in the language of their choice • Seventeen of the attendees appreciated the efforts of the nursing students and hoped those students will learn some basic signs to be able to engage better with D/HH patients • Deaf participants were amazed that opportunities were available for Deaf/HH individuals to enter the medical profession arena. All thought only hearing people could work in this field • Some said wish they were younger and would have gone into this field to help the deaf community understand about good health

17. Participant’s remarks • All enjoyed the round table presentation related to enlarge prostate and prostate cancer • They liked the idea of being able to ask questions and to discuss information among the other participants. Many said the information given was very good and informative • Often they get information from their doctor – the label or diagnosis, but not sufficient information to fully understand what that “label” of prostate health means

18. Participant’s remarks • Participants thought that Interpreters did a good job conveying this health care information in a format that was readily understood. Participants liked the willingness to interpret questions asked without being told that their question was “dumb.”

19. Participant’s remarks • Topics attendees enjoyed learning about: • Hepatitis A (very new topic for them) - 9 • Hypertension - 12 • Prostate Cancer - 8 • Lead Related Water Resources - 11 • Diabetes - 5 • PBH - 6 • Internet Safety - 3

20. Participant’s remarks Future Topics Wish List: (indicates number of requests) • Hip Disease Breast Cancer • Arthritis (5) Prostate Cancer treatments • Cancer- General (3) Smoking Cessation • Heart Disease (4) Alcohol Abuse • Eye Disease Good Health (3) information

21. Participant’s Remarks in ASL Written Comments on Survey about this event (provided as written) • “I want to learn more, good it” • “Learn anything” • “learn more Healthy good” • “find best health- like know”

22. CAC Comments related to having Community Health nursing students on site • Great opportunity to educate future nurses who will be serving the community that we serve

23. CAC Comments related to having Community Health nursing students on site Their research and development of the brochures was a wonderful project. As a non profit agency - we would have never had the time to create the quality of work that was beneficial to the Deaf/HH community.

24. A student perspective on being placed at the CAC Robert Heiss, BSN, BS

25. Fall Health Fair

29. Past unique clinical placements • Affirmations, and Ruth Ellis (associations for LBGTQ populations) • John Dingle VA hospital (working with homeless Vets) • Pope Francis Center (warming center for homeless Detroit populations) • St. Aloysius, Detroit (gentrification issues) • Bloomfield Hills Fire Department (affluence) • Campus Kitchen, Building a Community Garden