Agents Of Change

Students from West Shore Community College share a light moment during their visit to Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial to better learn about ways to connect healthcare with the community. From left, Kristan Shoemaker; Walter Marks; David Martin; Gerber Memorial clinical education specialist Shelly Klochack, RN; and Kira Vogel.

West Shore Community College nursing students visit Gerber Memorial to learn about connecting with people they serve
 
FREMONT- Four nursing students from West Shore Community College in Scottville near Ludington spent a day at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial to learn more about how to connect healthcare with the communities in which nurses work.
“The question we often ask ourselves is how can we be agents of change when we go out into the community as nurses?” Susan Warmuskerken, nursing instructor at WSCC, said during the visit on Wednesday.
The students set up displays and discussed stress and its impact on overall health, as well as hepatitis and prevention. One student, David Martin of Fremont, also displayed a home-made container to dispose of needles and other sharp objects to keep them away from people.
“Opportunities like this are a great door opener and a good first step to get students in here for clinicals,” said Shelly Klochack, RN, and Gerber Memorial clinical education specialist. “Getting students interested in working here is an important step. The nice thing about doing clinicals at a smaller hospital like Gerber Memorial is they get to experience more and learn more.”

West Shore Community College nursing student David Martin of Fremont, left, shows WSCC nursing instructor Susan Warmuskerken and WSCC nursing student Kristan Shoemaker, right, a homemade device to keep sharp objects away from people.