Health Promotion as a part of Safety

SeAMK celebrated Safety Week from 18 – 22.3.2024. The week was organized in cooperation with Sodexo and Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences student union SAMO. Throughout the week there were various events in the Campus Hall and on the Frami F-side. The themes for the days were: Important safety findings, Aiming for zero accident, Information safety, Fire safety and Safety executors.

Bachelor of Health Care Nursing students, MRN22, did their project work practice under the theme day Safety executors on the Frami F -lobby. MRN22-nursing students introduced the visitors to the questions like: Can each of us be a safety factor? What does personal health and its promotion have to do with safety?

Project Work and Clinical Training Promoting Health Individually and Globally studies

Before the SeAMK Safety Week the MRN22-nursing students had been studying the principles of health promotion and project work during the course Introduction to Project Work and Clinical Training Promoting Health Individually and Globally. They did the clinical training part of the studies at the SeAMK WellBeing Lab and during the training they did a project plan for the implementation day on the SeAMK Safety Week. The larger point of view of the plan was Holistic Health promotion and the students were divided into three groups focusing on the different dimensions of health: physical, mental and social.

The classification of the group and the related activities in which students and staff could participate were as follows:

Physical health: blood pressure measurement, exercise, neck massage, knowledge of the defibrillator and testing it with torsos.
Mental health: stress relief and motivational activities, a database on stress and depression, music therapy, a playful quiz.
Social health: quiz with prizes, leaflet, answers to questions, social chats.

The day of the event was Friday 22.3.2024. The MRN22-groups had set up their activity points on both sides of the Frami F corridor. Students and staff visited the activity points during the day, but more could have been participated. The visitors’ genuine interest in our activities was positive and there was a lot of discussion. The most challenging activity points were the defibrillator use training, with a video playing as a non-stop, and the practice of pressure ventilation with a resuscitation manikin.

In the end of the day the MRN22-nursing students were asked What do they think about health and health promotion?

• It is important for students to know the different aspects of health.
• When managing one’s own health, it takes a community of people to manage it safely.
• Our promotion of social health as a part of safety week was eyes opening for many. The lack of knowledge was a lot from the participants was worrying but our information package gave a lot of new knowledge and it was nice to have new interactions.

The MRN22- nursing students were also asked What do they think about the safety of SeAMK?

• We should keep safety at our community /school to help our fellows how to use defibrillator in case of emergency by teaching them how to use it and help a person who is unconscious.
• In my opinion I think safety refers to creating and maintaining a secure and protective atmosphere for students, staff and visitors. And SeAMK has all these qualities, this also means monitoring and addressing potential risks and promoting a culture of respect and support for members of the school community.
• Improving safety at SeAMK can be achieved by implementing comprehensive safety protocols, providing regular training for staff and students. Ensuring proper equipment maintenance, conducting safety audits, promoting a culture of safety and promptly addressing any safety concerns or incidents.

What did we learn about this?

The feedback was very positive, and especially the staff wanted to see a similar event next year. Promoting one’s own health is like putting money in the bank: no good deed towards oneself is too much, but rather supporting one’s own health and well-being. It’s because we can improve our physical fitness, strengthen our immune system, boost our energy and improve our mood. In addition, a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of disease and increase life expectancy. Taking care of your health can also boost your self-confidence and allow you to enjoy life to the full.

Carita Sandell-Kaukonen
Lecturer in Nursing,
SeAMK

Sinikka Vainionpää
Lecturer in Nursing
SeAMK