This post is written by guest writer, 2nd year MEPN, Amena Adams

On Saturday 12/2/2017, eighteen nursing students dedicated their time and effort to a Health Fair conducted at Casa de Las Memorias, in Tijuana, Mexico. The group was led by faculty leader Dr. Hutchins and student leaders Brittani De Riemer and Amena Adams. First and second year MEPN students, a DNP student, and a recent MEPN alum spent weeks prior to the Health Fair planning their teaching stations.

The Health Fair took place at Casa de Las Memorias, a facility that provides care and houses men, women, and children living with HIV/ AIDS and TB. Many of the patients there are longtime residents and contribute to the daily operations of the facility. Teaching stations were both culturally appropriate and specific to the needs of the residents: basic hand hygiene, nutrition, diabetes screening, TB, HIV, Hep A and Hep C, compressions only CPR, blood pressure readings and hypertension screening, and a children’s dental hygiene station.

“Health Passports” were distributed to facilitate the teaching sessions at each station. Upon completion of the “Health Passport,” residents received a gift bag of basic medical supplies. Local San Diego business and organizations such as Volunteers in Medicine, San Diego County Dental Society, and Carmel Valley Pediatrics donated supplies to fill these gift bags.

For something as seemingly simple as providing health education, our presence at Casa de Las Memorias had a profound impact on the residents and will leave a lasting impression on the nursing students who participated.