By Sandy Shirey

The gym was abuzz with Halloween excitement …and caring as the Monster Mash Blood Bash drew hundreds of donors. The annual two-day School of Nursing blood drive was held in the Ping Center on the Ohio University campus.

Students lined up to donate and enjoyed the Halloween decorations, special t-shirts, an array of food for the donors and general excitement in the gym.

The students are supervised and encouraged by faculty members, Associate Professor Liza Harper and Assistant Professor Lacey Douglas.

“We’re nurses.  We care.” This was the overwhelming feeling at the drive. Dr. Douglas expressed the caring approach to collecting blood as she welcomed hundreds of students who came in to donate.  

Ally Ogi, senior in the Nursing Program, explained that all nursing seniors participated in the planning and staging of the event on the Ohio University campus. “It involves a lot of planning by the entire senior class,” Ally said. “We split into groups, everyone had a job. We went to businesses to get donations.”

When asked why the nursing students do this, Ally replied, “For the greater good. There are  so many people that need blood. If people from the community can make a donation and save three lives, that is awesome!”

The nursing students urge community members to come in to donate. The two-day drive was promoted at homecoming, and with all of the students in Health Sciences and Professions. The College of Business also promoted around campus, and the Army ROTC participated as well, Ally said.

Lacey Douglas sat at the highly decorated reception table, welcoming donors. Douglas explained this is a required senior project for the Senior Class in the School of Nursing.  Each of the 124 Seniors participates, she added.

The two-day drive yielded 264 units of blood, with the potential to save and extend the lives of multiple people per donation.

Commenting on the history of this drive, Harper said, “I have been employed by the OHIO School of Nursing since August 2011 and actually created the very first senior nursing class blood drive in the fall of 2011. We have held an annual class blood drive ever since. When this began, my dream was to hit 300 units of blood. Lori Gaitten, (Red Cross blood program representative) thought I was crazy, but I knew what amazing students I have and we can do it. This year we collected 264...getting closer!

“In developing this project, I thought long and hard about why I was doing it and how it fit in our curriculum. The obvious answer is that the blood supply impacts everyone, and nursing knows all too well what a shortage of blood means to patient outcomes so the question of ‘Why?’ was an easy one to answer. That is important for the student to understand because they will then reach out to educate the campus community; explaining why one should donate, who can donate, and the impact each unit makes.

“We are talking about senior level students and senioritis sets in early sometimes. It is the job of the faculty to meet with student leaders to outline a timeline and follow up weekly to make sure deadlines are being met. It always comes down to the last week when we must mobilize everyone to make the final push to make goal. I believe in the students and in 14 years, they have never disappointed me. OHIO has the best nursing program and the most amazing students ever!”

Prof. Harper added a quotation to illustrate a philosophy of teaching: “I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.” –Socrates