University of Mississippi Chancellor Dan Jones prepares to get a flu shot from Pharmacy School students at the student union in Oxford, Miss., Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013.
(DM Photo/Aditya Khare)
October is National Pharmacists Month, and the Ole Miss chapter of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists recently hosted Operation Immunization, a flu shot drive run by pharmacy students.
Patrick Reed, second-year pharmacy student, the association’s vice president of clinical affairs and Academy of Student Pharmacists vice president, was the chair of this operation.
“We as an organization wanted to do a patient care project that would get our pharmacy students actively involved in increasing the number of people who receive their yearly flu vaccination, as well as teaching the public that providing a flu shot is only one of the many things that their pharmacist can do for them,” Reed said.
Operation Immunization is an official pharmacists’ association National Patient Care project. Through the project, first-year pharmacy students and second-year students hope to raise immunization rates as well as increase awareness of the dangers of the flu. First-year students helped by filling out forms, setting up and breaking down the flu shot stations and holding posters to advertise the event. Second-year students administered the vaccine to patients.
Kate Mislan, president of the association’s Ole Miss chapter, revealed the protocol for this operation.
“Most of our professors are pharmacists, and we also work at pharmacies around town such as CVS and Walgreens,” Mislan said. “We have had some trial and error and finally perfected the flow and process of things regarding signing people up and giving them their shots.”
In previous years, the event was held primarily in the School of Pharmacy. With hopes of reaching out to several students and faculty/staff populations across campus this year, it was held in the Student Union, the law school and the Lyceum. The number of flu shots given almost tripled from last year, with 305 flu shots given out this year.
In addition to Operation Immunization, student pharmacists will also be participating in Operation Self-Care, which promotes a healthy lifestyle on the Ole Miss campus by providing healthy snacks to students and faculty. Through Operation Immunization and Operation Self-Care, the association hopes to continue to increase access to and awareness of the flu vaccine, as well as to share healthy lifestyle tips with the public.
Students who did not receive a flu shot can stop by the Student Health Center Pharmacy any time from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to receive a vaccination there.
