The goal of the program is to decrease the burden of cancers in rural and medically underserved areas of Texas by improving the cancer screening knowledge, skills, and management practices of nurses in those communities. A cancer prevention education program will be delivered to Texas nurses in six communities who, in turn will participate in screening of patients, encourage cancer screening and educate patients. Increased patient education results in increased screening, and a decreased burden of cancer.

An estimated 108 participants will impact the health of over 8000 Texans in the year following the programs through delivery of 2600 clinical breast examinations, and cancer prevention educ...

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The goal of the program is to decrease the burden of cancers in rural and medically underserved areas of Texas by improving the cancer screening knowledge, skills, and management practices of nurses in those communities. A cancer prevention education program will be delivered to Texas nurses in six communities who, in turn will participate in screening of patients, encourage cancer screening and educate patients. Increased patient education results in increased screening, and a decreased burden of cancer.

An estimated 108 participants will impact the health of over 8000 Texans in the year following the programs through delivery of 2600 clinical breast examinations, and cancer prevention education delivered to another 5400 Texans. Nurses in their own communities are ideally positioned to educate and encourage prevention and screening activities, to participate in the provision of services and to appreciate and address the cultural norms of the community. Health care professionals who are themselves from ethnic and racial sub-populations can be especially effective educators and role models for minority groups.

Innovative aspects of this program include: a) the provision of a supervised clinical component that allows participants to gain proficiency in the clinical examination, patient education practice, and application of knowledge to clinical situations; and b) delivery of the programs in the participants’ communities. Conducting programs for these nurses in their own communities will serve to reduce a sense of disconnectedness and encourage lower turnover. When the nurses, as community members, act to employ an intervention in the community, community empowerment is increased, resulting in acceptance of the intervention. In this way, educating nurses in their own communities will produce educators and role models for community members.

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