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It’s flu season and the Student Health Services (SHS) here on campus will be offering various events and programs throughout the year in collaboration with many on and off-campus health care entities.

This month, the first event of several to come will be hosted by the Flu Shot Clinic, partnered with the nursing division. They will be providing students and the community with free immunizations on both the main campus on Colorado Blvd., and the Foothill Campus on Foothill Blvd. The event will begin on the CEC Quad of Foothill Campus Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Then continue on the Quad of the main campus October 23rd and 24th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Assisting with the clinic is Carmita Veliz, a Registered Nurse Specialist with the SHS. The aim of the clinic is to target and reach students and members of the community who do not have and/or cannot afford medical insurance.

“Every year we collaborate with the nursing program and we obtain free flu vaccines from the Public Health Department and we administer as a community…and they give it free,” Veliz stated.

Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN) and Registered Nursing (RN) students administer the immunizations for the event. For upcoming fall graduate, LVN student Mariah Cuahutle, this was her first time contributing.

“It’s been great, I love it, I love meeting people, I love practicing my skills,” Cuahutle said.

Director of the LVN program, Carla Christensen, has been a part of the health services at PCC since 2001 and is onsite to aid and oversee her students during these events in which health screening services are also usually provided.

“Some of what [the students] are doing now, screening for hypertension, and sometimes we do screenings for cholesterol levels and blood sugars, diet teaching, in terms of decreasing cardiac risk factors,” Christensen explained. “For the LVN’s this is their first semester, so they’re not doing as much health teaching at this point as they can do later in the year.”

The Flu Shot Clinic is walk-ins only and first come first serve while supplies last, as each clinic has limited quantities. In addition, during this event, the Radiologic Technology Program (Rad Tech) will be presenting Breast Cancer Awareness by outreaching on these days to educate students on the importance of breast exams and raising funds for City of Hope.

The student health center will also be hosting other events this semester including an event, partnered with Power to Decide  to raise awareness about the helpfulness of birth control in sexual activity and family planning. Student Health Services will be on the quad discussing birth control techniques and providing free goodies. This event takes place on November 6th.

The Great American Smoke Out, taking place November 15th, is an opportunity for smokers to decide to quit. Student Health Services, with the help of volunteers, will collect cigarette butts all over PCC. SHS will then outreach on the quad and show students how many cigarettes are being smoked, even though PCC is a smoke-free campus.

Vir Vergel de Dios, Health Educator for the Health Education Team, organizes and promotes the  events for the SHS.

“People also may not know that if they’re caught smoking on campus, they can get a ticket, but the ticket can be waived if they meet with a nurse in SHS for a tobacco cessation session,” said de Dios.

Free health insurance enrollment assistance is also available to currently enrolled and attending PCC students through student health services and ChapCare. Students can call to make an appointment by calling (626) 486-9729 and meeting with the health insurance specialist, Valerie Penate.

Visit Student Health Services in D-105 on PCC main campus Mon, Wed, and Thurs: 8 am – 4:30 pm, Tue: 8 am – 7 pm, and Fri: 8 am – 12:30 pm. Or contact SHS by phone: (626) 585-7244.

 

Paolo Woodard
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