Blood pressure clinic gives practical nursing students real-world experience

Loyalist College Clinic event. Photo by Sandeep Kaur

By:  Sandeep Kaur

Belleville – Loyalist College’s practical nursing program held a blood pressure clinic on Nov. 29 aiming  to provide students with hands-on experience in taking blood pressure. 

The event was organized by the nursing professor Donna Lynch. This event allowed students to hone their blood pressure measurement skills.  The event also provided a valuable service to the college community, offering blood pressure assessments to students and faculty.

“Because these are the first-semester practical nursing students who need practice before they go to clinical in January,” said Lynch.

“They can increase their confidence in the skill of taking blood pressure,” she said.

The practical nursing students took on many roles at the clinic, including taking blood pressure, recruiting participants, recording data, and providing health teaching. The main goal of this clinic is that students can practice their skills on live individuals.

Students take blood pressure and write it on a sheet of paper. If they discover any blood pressure that is not within the defined limits, and the students know what that is, they are urged to go to the nurses.

“We have a board with specific pamphlets related to blood pressure and assessing for strokes. That’s what we call health teaching that the students perform on each person” said Lynch.

There are no specific prerequisites for participants, and the college supports the clinic through advertising and encouraging specific classes to attend.  The program hopes to continue hosting similar events every semester, allowing students to practice and refine their skills in a real-world setting.

” The students can practice on a real person, get correct readings, and use faculty guidance if needed,” says Lynch.