Knox County Health Department

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a collaborative service learning experience (SLE) which was part of the degree requirements of the Public Health Nutrition Graduate Program at the University of Tennessee. The SLE was collaboratively developed by the University of Tennessee's maternal and child health (MCH) nutrition leadership education and training (NLET) Program Director and the Knox County Health Department's healthy weight program manager. Description The SLE was a semester long project that included instructional time and fieldwork. Coursework focused on development of a community nutrition needs assessment, how to interpret and analyze assessment data, and how to use assessment data for program planning and policy development. Fieldwork consisted of interacting with an interprofessional team, assessing the nutrition environment at two afterschool sites, conducting a plate waste study to determine the amount of food consumed by children at the sites' dinner meals, interpreting and analyzing data, and developing and presenting recommendations for improvement. Assessment Trainees successfully completed all aspects of the SLE. They completed a community needs assessment of the neighborhoods surrounding the two afterschool program sites, conducted nutrition environment audits, including meal observations, and measured and analyzed plate waste from dinner meals served at the sites. Using the data gathered and collected, they prepared suggestions for nutrition environment improvements and policy development for community partners. Conclusion The SLE allowed trainees to develop MCH competencies and professional skills required in public health nutrition, while providing valuable data that subsequently was used to establish nutrition-related policies and interventions.

A school-located mass vaccination program can enable rapid vaccination of a large number of students while minimizing disruption of their school activities. During 3 consecutive influenza seasons beginning in 2005, the Knox County Health Department conducted school-located mass vaccination clinics using live attenuated influenza vaccine. Overall, the proportion of elementary schoolchildren vaccinated with live attenuated influenza vaccine exceeded 40% each year. We describe key lessons learned in clinic operations, including obtaining informed consent, defining the organizational structure and roles, preparing the school, staffing, training, supplies, vaccine management, team communication, and data management. We conclude by discussing program costs and sustainability.

A school-located mass vaccination clinic approach can enable rapid vaccination of a large number of students while minimizing disruption of their school activities and potentially reducing missed work hours by parents. During 3 consecutive influenza seasons beginning in 2005, the Knox County Health Department conducted school-located mass vaccination clinics using live attenuated influenza vaccine. Clinics were held each year throughout the county over 4 weeks in more than 100 public and private schools for more than 65, 000 students in Grades K to 12. Overall, the proportion of all students vaccinated at school each year exceeded 40%. Our experience indicated that careful and thorough planning was essential to program success. Critical planning elements included (1) initial planning with extensive lead time to find the proper lead agency and project leader and to develop sound comprehensive vaccine clinic planning; (2) developing partnerships, especially with schools; (3) communicating successfully with parents, children, school administrators and teachers, medical providers, and the community at large; and (4) educating these groups successfully, using good timing, through local media, school events, direct mailings (including parents receiving information and consent packets), and partners. We review here the details of these key planning elements.