IU School of Nursing

At first glance, you’d never guess that the ordinary sign out front with the Indiana University logo that reads, “Free Health Screenings TODAY” is the gateway to something extraordinary.

It means that the IU School of Nursing in Bloomington is hosting another of its free regional clinics. As part of the campus’ curriculum since 2020, the clinics are held four times a year and give Bloomington’s nursing students another window into the full scope of what it means to be a nurse.

“I believe these clinics are important,” said May 2025 graduate Jazmynn Peterson, “because they provide access to health care for individuals who might not have it otherwise.”

Led by Clinical Assistant Professor Britney Arce, PhD, MSN, RN, the clinics target rural areas in Orange and Lawrence counties, with students offering such preventative measures as free blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood oxygen screenings, as well as healthy lifestyle coaching and naloxone training.

A growing number of clinical partners* supplement the screenings by offering pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, nutrition services, and STI and Hepatitis C testing.

'Nervous at First'

Arce feels that the clinics play an important role in helping students hone their communication and critical thinking skills because the students never know who may show up at the clinics or what medical conditions they might be living with.

“I was a bit nervous going into my first clinic,” said senior nursing student Aidan Clifford. “But once we started, I saw how eager patients were to engage and ask questions. I learned how important it is to be approachable and non-judgmental because, for many patients, this is their first step toward better health.”

Each student is shadowed by either an IU School of Nursing faculty member or practicing RN as they conduct the screenings and explain the results to each patient. When health issues are discovered, the patient receives lifestyle coaching to implement positive change or is referred to a healthcare professional for further consultation.

“During the clinics, there were times we had to tell patients that they had elevated blood pressure or A1C,” Peterson said. “This was hard to do, and I tried to frame it in a way that focused on available interventions, instead of focusing on the negative. I provided them with their result and, from there, we talked about ways to improve the number instead of focusing on the number itself.”

“I learned to stay calm and supportive when telling patients their results were outside the normal range,” added Clifford. “The goal was not to scare them, but to give them a clear picture, let them know there are steps they can take, and that we’re there to help.”

Transformative Experience

Another feature of the School of Nursing’s engagement with South Central Indiana’s rural communities is home health care visits in partnership with Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC).

At the end of every day, Arce and her students debrief about the visits and forward updates to an SICHC staff nurse. The information is then given to the patient’s primary care provider. At the end of the semester, the students also complete a Situation Background and Assessment Report that is also sent to the primary provider.

For the students, home visits are a transformative experience. “Visiting patients in their homes gave me an entirely different perspective,” Clifford said. “You see the whole picture: what they’re eating, how they manage their medications, and their physical environment. It made me realize how many small barriers can get in the way of big health goals.”

Personal Connections

While their time at the free clinics and home healthcare visits help students grow as healthcare professionals, there is an added human dimension. They also develop personal insights and make one-on-one connections that are equally valuable and enduring.

“One of the patients I visited was in hospice and that was a very memorable experience for me,” Peterson recalled. “The patient was so welcoming to us, and it reminded me that something as small as a conversation or a smile can make the difference in someone’s day.”

“My clinical partner and I grew very close with one of our patients,” said Max Lindenmayer, a senior nursing student. “She and her husband were always happy to see us, and we spent so much time just chatting with them. On our last visit, we were gifted with homemade cookies, a knitted scarf, and a handmade card wishing us luck in our nursing careers. This touched my heart, and I will never forget them.”

“These clinics are great,” senior Riki Iwase said, “but you only get out what you put in. If you ask a lot of questions and involve yourself in the patient’s care, you will learn a lot and have a great experience.”

In recommending the free clinics and home health visits to other nursing students, Clifford advised, “I’d tell them it’s one of the most valuable experiences they’ll have in nursing school. You’ll learn more about communication, health disparities, and real-world nursing than you ever could in a classroom. It pushes you out of your comfort zone and shows how much of a difference you can make.”

*Clinical and other partners include: the IU Center for Rural Engagement, Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC), Hope Resource Medical Clinic, IU Health Community Nurses South Central Region, IU Health Positive Link South Central Region, Hoosier Health Check through IU School of Public Health, IU School of Social Work, Purdue Extension, Hoosier Uplands, and the American Heart Association.