AcknowledgementsOur OSU SSHP chapter gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the preceptors and sites who have volunteered their time and locations to make our outreach efforts in the community possible. We are also especially grateful to the student leaders who spearhead this initiative every year and the student volunteers who graciously donate their time and energy to make this outreach event possible.

Spring Break Outreach Initiative: Statewide Rural Health Screenings

to Promote Community WellnessEA Van Devender, M Leinbach, J Sugiyama

Oregon State University, College of Pharmacy, Corvallis, OR 97331

IntroductionSince 2008, 104 students from both the Corvallis and Portland campuses at Oregon State University (OSU) have participated in a statewide rural outreach event during the last Saturday of spring break. The Spring Break Outreach Initiative is a student-run, student-led health outreach project that has been held in 22 different sites in 18 different communities across the state. These outreach events have allowed OSU student pharmacists to perform over 675 health screenings for blood glucose, high blood pressure, and body mass index and educate over 550 patients about hypertension, diabetes, heartburn, asthma, smoking cessation, medication use, poison prevention, and immunizations.

The goals of the Spring Break Outreach Initiative are to1) promote wellness and encourage patients to be proactive

about their health and well-being2) provide information about disease states to educate patients

about their health and potential risk factors for disease3) reach out to underserved populations in a relatively rural areas

of Oregon who might not be able to afford or have access to preventive healthcare

4) raise public consciousness about the role of pharmacists as healthcare providers

5) allow students to experience pharmacy in rural communities

Results for 201012 sites in Oregon were served:

42 pharmacy students participated in activities such as:

Other activities included antibiotic awareness, heartburn education, smoking cessation, asthma education, poison prevention, and shingles education.

DiscussionThe Spring Break Outreach Initiative has helped our Student Society of Health-System Pharmacy (SSHP) chapter extend the reach of pharmacy services to rural and underserved communities in Oregon. The initiative provides pharmacy students at all levels experience in direct patient care and helps cultivate the necessary ability, knowledge, and clinical skills necessary for careers as patient care providers. Students benefit from the initiative by getting “hands-on” experience with patients, while patients also benefit from their interaction with students. Many patients in rural areas of Oregon do not have insurance or access to preventive healthcare and may not have had recent health screening checks. These health screenings also serve to increase the visibility of pharmacy as a patient-care profession. Pharmacy students are able to use this as an opportunity to encourage patients to make positive lifestyle changes in addition to being proactive about their health and overall level of care.

Future PlansThe Spring Break Outreach Initiative continues to be a popular patient outreach project at the OSU College of Pharmacy. Future years should see even more participation by students at different sites and various communities throughout the state.

Map of Outreach Sites 2008-2010

MethodsWorking with preceptors throughout the state, outreach events are planned and organized to provide activities that will most benefit the community’s population.

Promotion of an outreach event can include handouts for patients picking up prescriptions, flyers in the pharmacy and the community (e.g. doctor offices, clinics, senior center), as well as talking to store clerks who can mention it to customers.

On the day of the event: Students ask patients to complete all necessary documentation forms and interview the patient briefly to determine any medical conditions, family history, or factors that could affect screening outcomes. Students then explain to the patient what they will be screened for and how this will be done before beginning testing. The patient is then screened for blood pressure, blood glucose, and/or body mass index, and the results are documented the results on the patient’s wellness form. The results are then explained to the patient. Patient education brochures are provided based on the screening results and the patient’s level of interest. The patient wellness form is then signed, dated, and returned to the patient for their files.

•Tillamook•Lebanon•Coos Bay

•Florence•Grant’s Pass•Hermiston

•Myrtle Creek•Newport•Roseburg

•Seaside•Stayton•St. Helens

• 249 blood pressure screenings• 86 blood glucose screenings• 30 body mass index screenings

• 42 brown bag consultations• 2 Zostavax® vaccinations