 |
|
Pharmacists and Student Pharmacists Provided Health Services to the Community |
| Submitted by Pharmacist Officer LCDR Bihn T. Nguyen, USPHS |
|
This is the fourth year that I have participated in the 2006 Annual Immunization Health Fair with VAPSA (Vietnamese American Pharmacy Student Association) and VPhA (Vietnamese Pharmacist Association). This health fair event was held at the Westminster City Hall in Orange County, CA, on Sunday, October 12, starting at 10 a.m. and ending about 4 p.m. |
| When I arrived at the Hall, students from the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, University of San Diego School of Pharmacy, and Western College of Pharmacy were all in white coats, promptly helping patients at the different service tables. Also present at each of these tables were supervising pharmacists and pharmacist professors. Due to the large number of attendees, I was overseeing immunizations, drug information, and cholesterol screening tables. At the entrance, each attendee got a ‘Health Passport’ stamped with the logo of the VAPSA. On the first page of the booklet was the ‘Welcome to the Immunization Health Fair.’ This booklet contained information about influenza, diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension, osteoporosis, hepatitis B, the food pyramid, heartburn, exercise, asthma, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and the Framingham risk score. The booklet was written in both English and Vietnamese. Each topic listed was covered at the health fair with display posters and machines that screened for cholesterol, diabetes, osteoporosis, and blood pressure. In addition, about 100 influenza vaccines were given out by the pharmacy students. An optometrist, a physician, and an acupuncturist were also present. |
| I remembered back when I first started the pharmaceutical care project with VPhA and the 2003 Immunization Health Fair. At that time, we did not have so many students, pharmacists, and other health care professionals involved. In addition, we were working out of a small non-profit clinic in a business center where there was not as much activity. Year after year, more student members from three schools of pharmacy joined the association and more professors and pharmacists offered to help, pooling their efforts to yield greater results. It was amazing to see the growth over the years. |
| This health fair not only allowed pharmacy students to provide much needed health services to various communities, but also provided opportunities for first year pharmacy students to fulfill their Pharmacy Practice course requirements such as administering flu shots and providing health screenings to the community. It was an exciting and outreaching event benefiting the Westminster community. Furthermore, it demonstrated to patients the expanding roles community pharmacists play in the education, prevention, and management of many diseases, and shared with the public what the profession of pharmacy is all about. This type of community activity has advanced patient care and it increased awareness about certain diseases and steps that can be taken to manage, or even prevent certain diseases, in order to live a healthier life. |
| Current Issue Front Page |