Engaging Members of a Northern Plains Indian Reservation to Promote Community Responsive Health Care.

Abstract

This article describes a project to engage community members and to determine how a school nurse-community partnership could improve healthcare equity within an American Indian community. The purpose of this community-building project was to establish a relationship among school nurse practitioners, children, and their community in a Northern Plains Indian reservation using a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) model. CBPR requires a partnership between community members and school nurses in prioritizing community needs, developing an appropriate intervention, and engaging the community throughout the intervention project process. Partnering with teachers and the community, we engaged 78 students in a year-long project in which children depicted their perceptions of well-being and wellness through bimonthly art activities. This project laid the groundwork for a strong community partnership with school nurses in addressing the well-being of children and the further exploration of community needs.