Community health is a crucial element of nursing that takes place beyond the hospital setting. “The goal of community health is to improve the overall health and well-being of communities,” says John Singletary, instructor at Southern Adventist University’s School of Nursing. “By meeting physical and spiritual needs, we help create a stronger, healthier, and more connected community where everyone can thrive.” During the fall semester of this school year, in his Population and Community Health Nursing course, Singletary enabled students to put those ideals into practice. 

In partnership with Andrew Richards, professor in the School of Nursing, Singletary facilitated a chance for nursing students to teach nearly 80 third graders about health at Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence Elementary in Tennessee. Additionally, in collaboration with AdventHealth Manchester and Becky Retzer, recently retired professor of nursing, Singletary took students on a mission trip to Manchester, Ky., to conduct pre- and post-assessments on homes in the area. 

“Anytime we can provide our students with hands-on, practical experience, we want to,” Richards explains. “It’s a whole lot better than students sitting in a lecture.” 

Nine students volunteered to teach at Chattanooga Charter School and worked in groups of three to create lessons that aligned with a broader theme. Under the umbrella of hygiene, Sopandi taught the students how to sneeze, cough, and wear a mask effectively by using a spray bottle to illustrate the spread of germs. “I loved talking with the kids and seeing how excited they were,” she shares. “At the end of the lesson, they’d always tell me all sorts of details that they remembered.” 

Elizabeth Shrode, senior nursing major, taught about positive thinking. Students created a classroom positivity garden, with flowers colored and labeled with positive thoughts. “One little girl wrote ‘I love myself,’ which was so precious!” Shrode says. 

The experience helped Shrode recognize what she wants to focus on in her career. “Before taking the class, I worked at a senior care center and disliked that I couldn’t build relationships with the patients,” she shares. “Professor Singletary opened my eyes to all the options in community health, and now I work one-on-one with a girl with cerebral palsy and get to build a relationship with her and her family.” 

On the Manchester mission trip, 14 students spent several days creating healthier living environments as part of the Healthy Homes Initiative. “During our assessments, we evaluated elements such as fire alarms, window locks, unstable railings, and slippery bathroom floors,” explains Keeley Phillips, senior nursing major and one of the trip participants. 

Students also set up a free health screening clinic at a local Walmart. They provided free blood pressure screenings along with blood sugar and lipid level checks. On the last day, students installed a ramp on a family’s front porch to improve accessibility and home safety.

“Healthcare does not end when a patient goes home from the hospital,” Phillips says. “Good nursing involves open-mindedness, creativity, and lots of community-building.”

“Both projects align well with our mission here at Southern of going into underserved communities and building relationships,” Singletary says. The projects additionally addressed the goals identified by Healthy People 2030, a national initiative from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “Our activities at Chattanooga Charter School matched goals to help young people combat obesity, lack of exercise, and so on,” he says. “Our work in Manchester directly supports the Neighborhoods and Built Environment and the Health Care Access and Quality goals, reducing healthcare disparities and empowering individuals to take charge of their health.” 

“So often, as nursing students, we find ourselves short on time and stressed about assignments,” Phillips says. “In community health, you get the chance to listen as people share their lives with you.” During both experiences, students got to experience that firsthand, meeting the needs of the community to create a stronger whole. 

Singletary returned to Manchester during the Winter 2025 semester from March 13-18. He and Richards hope to continue school visitations in the upcoming semesters. 

– Chehalis Eno is a senior English Major at Southern Adventist University