Anthony Stiles Nursing in the Community 13 September 2019

Vision Screening Journal Entry

Summary:

This week my entire clinical group had the opportunity to attend, assist, and perform with vision

screening at Taft Elementary School in Youngstown, Ohio. United Way was the organization hosting the

voluntary event. Students that do not pass the exam will be further assed by professionals and

eventually be given glasses free of charge if they qualify. The children being screen included

kindergarteners, first graders, second graders, third graders, fourth graders, fifth graders, and children

with disabilities from each grade. We rotated performing different jobs. One job was documenting all

the information from the children such as if they wear glasses, if they pass or fail their vision test, and

any comments that must be noted. Another job belonged to the individual actually performing the test;

this included pointing the letters and shapes on the board and presenting colored shapes and numbers

to identify color blindness. The rest of the jobs consisted of coloring with the children, watching the

children to make sure they were concentrating, and retrieving the students from class. While most

results were normal passes as well as some failures, there were a couple special circumstances. Hailey

and I discovered that one child had no vision in the right side of his left eye. He simply stated it was black

and he could not see anything on that side. Another child that Hailey and I screened was apparently

color blind. This boy was unable to identify the color red when presented with different objects in the

book or in the room that were that color.

Objective: Examines health related issues that impact the individual client and his
family and reflect in weekly summary/journal

Vision is an extremely important aspect of all of our daily lives. Without vision you could

not drive, work most professions, or participate in many activities of daily living. Fortunately,

there are ways to detect poor vision and possibly even improve or fix it. Attending to vision is

most important in our youth because that is the period in our life when problems are most
Anthony Stiles Nursing in the Community 13 September 2019

correctable. By being tested and treated early, you stand a much better chance of living a life

with your vision intact. Vision issues affect not only the individual experiencing them but also

his family and those surrounding him. Many life experiences are dependent on vision and just

would inheritably not be the same without it. This is why it is very crucial that if possible, seek

help and help others before it is too late.

Reflection:

Overall, I very much enjoyed this clinical experience. This was a setting that none of us have had

the opportunity to see before, and it was one of the most of the kindest environments I have seen so

far. I loved working with the kids and making them laugh; it was even one of their birthdays. Vision

screening is such an important intervention in children’s lives. It is amazing that this organization

arranges that the students qualified can receive free glasses. I would love to participate in this again in

the future.