Campbell nursing students travel to Raleigh for Wellness Fair at law school

Nursing students from Campbell University in Buies Creek visited Raleigh to offer a range of health services to students, faculty and staff at the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law.

Jamie Herman, special assistant to the dean, spearheaded the event in partnership with the nursing school, part of the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. The Wellness Fair, held Sept. 25, offered members of the Raleigh campus flu vaccines, blood pressure screenings and stress assessments and relievers, among other services.

"As busy law students, we know it is hard for them to prioritize health and wellness. We also know that while all students have access to the Campbell Health Center on main campus, it is not easy to find time to make the drive to Buies Creek for an appointment," said Herman, who plans to continue offering similar wellness events at the law school.

Other campus members took advantage of the two-hour window to line up and receive flu shots.

"We knew we wanted to offer flu shots as we enter the winter season," Herman said. "The flu shots were definitely our biggest hit."

Students from the Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing also offered information about the pitfalls of alcohol consumption, information about diet and exercise, as well as a stress assessment.

"When discussing what stations we wanted at this event, we wanted to ensure that our law students were getting necessary wellness checks, while also allowing the nursing students to get necessary and impactful practice," Herman said.

Herman contacted Sharon Boyd, a nursing instructor and Student Success coordinator at Campbell.

Boyd, as well as helping to oversee the fair, developed a station to discuss healthy eating habits, as well as alcohol habits and, in turn, alcohol's inherent dangers. As many as one in five lawyers is a problem drinker, and that's twice the national rate, according to the American Bar Association (ABA).

"While it's uncertain why lawyers experience alcohol use disorders at a higher rate, it is clear that alcoholism has devastating effects on a lawyer's career and personal life," the ABA says.

Boyd said, "The law school is part of Campbell, and they are a very important part of Campbell, but they are not on main campus. We wanted to just connect and let them know that, even if the Health Center is mainly on main campus, you're still entitled to those resources, and we wanted to bring them to you."

Emily McAteer of Raleigh, a Campbell nursing student, took part in the Wellness Fair. She said she has a brother attending law school at Vanderbilt University.

"We experience a lot of stress on a daily basis in nursing school, but in a graduate program, like med school or law school, the stress is so intense. With the constant pressure of every day, it's hard to focus on your health.

"It feels like there's not even time for us to focus on our health, and we're studying medicine. It's a blessing to be here and to educate people and help in any way we can."

John F. TrumpHealth Sciences writer