Week of 4/8-4/12

Daily Descriptions 

• Monday 4/8

• Today, I worked remotely and began to brainstorm program ideas for the month of May. Some of my ideas included a vision screening, a program on financial health planning, family health day, social connection challenge/ program, a program on heat-related illnesses and climate change impacts, and various wellness challenges. I also wrote out the paragraphs for October’s health education handout on lead exposure and its impact on human health. Creating an outline based off the notes I gathered and writing the paragraphs out is the most tedious task of creating each health education handout because it is essential to make sure it flows and is written at an adequate health literacy level. 

• Tuesday 4/9

• Today, I joined a healthy hour on balancing your blood sugar. Kendra provided very beneficial information on the difference between high and low blood sugar, the symptoms of each, the impacts of eating too much/ too little sugar on the development of chronic diseases, and foods and snacks that will keep you full for longer as opposed to filling up on empty calories. I also attended a healthy hour on the prevention of sun-induced disorders and minor sunburns, which was conducted by UGA Pharmacy students. They were very well-versed and articulate, which impressed me and increased their overall professionalism. I also continued to make edits to the October health education handout for a couple hours. 

• Wednesday 4/10

• Today, I made edits to May through July’s health education handouts and corresponding quizzes based on Kendra’s feedback. Most of the feedback pertains to grammar and ensuring that sentences flow logically. Fortunately, she told me that each handout has gotten better than the previous one, which was beneficial to know that I am going in the right direction and learning from my mistakes. I also attended spin class from 11:30 to 12:30 pm with the regular attendees. Then, I continued to finalize and format October’s handout, which has been more time-consuming than anticipated. I also began to research topic ideas for November’s health education topic, which will overarchingly cover a public health or medical advancement from the 1990s. 

• Thursday 4/11

• Today, I worked remotely and made edits to July-September health education handouts and quizzes based on Kendra’s feedback. There were more structural changes to be made to these handouts, which took up a good chunk of time. I finally finished October’s handout and quiz, and continued to gather information for November’s handout. Overall, I worked on tying up loose ends on various projects so that it will be easier to hit the ground running on Monday. 

• Friday 4/12

• n/a 
  

Weekly Summary 

This week was focused on planning and refining health education materials and programs, as well as participating in educational sessions and incorporating feedback for improvement. On Monday, I dedicated time to brainstorming program ideas for May, including vision screening, financial health planning, and social connection challenges. Additionally, I worked on October's health education handout on lead exposure. Tuesday involved attending healthy hours on blood sugar balance and sun-induced disorders, where I gained valuable insights and continued editing the October handout. Wednesday was spent making edits to upcoming handouts and attending a spin class, while also researching topics for November's education material. Thursday consisted of remote work, making edits to previous handouts, and finalizing October's material while gathering information for November. Throughout the week, I demonstrated several competencies, including identifying resources for program planning, synthesizing findings for educational materials, adapting content for diverse health literacy levels, engaging in continuing education sessions, revising interventions based on feedback, and assessing progress toward health education goals. This week's efforts aimed to ensure the quality and effectiveness of health education initiatives for the target population.

Responsibilities and Competencies 

• 1.1.3- Identify existing and available resources, policies, programs, practices, and interventions.

• I met this competency by coming up with ideas for the May program schedule, which entailed looking through previous months and years events and hypothesizing what events would be relevant to ACCGov employees based on what I have gathered from employees thus far. 

• 4.4.6- Synthesize findings. 

• I met this competency by gathering my notes and compiling them into an outline so that I could write paragraphs for October’s handout. 

• 1.3.2- Determine the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, skills, and behaviors that impact the health and health literacy of the priority population(s).

• I met this competency by taking the paragraphs I wrote yesterday and writing them at a health literacy level applicable to a wide range of individuals, which is a time-consuming yet fruitful process. 

• 8.3.2- Participate in continuing education opportunities to maintain or enhance continuing competence.

• I met this competency by attending the healthy hour on the prevention of sun-induced disorders and cancers and conversing with UGA Pharmacy students. 

• 2.3.7- Revise intervention(s) based on pilot feedback.

• I met this competency by revising previous health education handouts based on Kendra’s feedback on the handouts and corresponding quizzes. 

• 3.3.2- Assess progress in achieving objectives.

• I met this competency by evaluating the proficiency of my health education handouts and by conversing with Kendra to gauge what my strengths and weaknesses are in achieving health education goals. 

Reflection 

This week provided a rich opportunity for reflection on my role in health education and program development. Beginning with Monday's remote work session, I initiated the process of brainstorming program ideas for May, which involved not only generating concepts but also beginning the meticulous task of crafting educational materials. The subsequent days were marked by engaging in educational sessions and incorporating feedback into my work. Tuesday's healthy hours provided valuable insights into blood sugar balance and sun-induced disorders, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and staying informed within the field. Wednesday's editing process, coupled with positive feedback from Kendra, served as a reinforcement of my progress and growth in refining health education materials. Thursday's remote work session focused on finalizing previous handouts and quizzes, underscoring the importance of attention to detail and adaptability in meeting project deadlines. Through these experiences, I was able to fulfill various responsibilities and competencies, including adapting content for diverse audiences, engaging in continuing education opportunities, revising interventions based on feedback, and assessing progress towards objectives. This reflective process not only reinforces my commitment to professional development but also provides insights into areas for further growth and refinement in my practice.