University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
04/15/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/15/2025 14:13
UWO nursing students offer education, health screenings at WPS Farm Show
UWO nursing students Nick Churchill, Harleigh Eagan, Maddy Erdman, Rosa Jahns, Amber Nygren, Emily Schendel and Emma Stuettgen, pause for a photo at the WPS Farm Show on the EAA grounds, where they provided free health screenings.
UW-Oshkosh nursing student Emma Stuettgen discusses health care with a participant at the recent WPS Farm Show in Oshkosh.
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh senior nursing students had a chance to share their skills and knowledge with the farming community-and learn about a few of their challenges-at a recent farm show event featuring hundreds of exhibitors and guests from around the state and beyond.
"Students performed telehealth education and blood pressure screenings and health education for WPS (Wisconsin Public Service) attendees," said UWO Clinical Associate Professor Debbie Walrath, who added that attendees sought screenings for a variety of reasons including those with known high blood pressure. A few participants were unaware of their blood pressure issue and referred to their primary care providers.
"We had all ages of participants and students educated the community members-many rural who experience poorer health outcomes and chronic disease due to loack of access to care," Walrath said. "Rural community members have fewer providers available, fewer clinics locally and have to travel farther distances to clinics and hospitals."
The student nurses are part of a Communities Clinical class. They educated participants on telehealth services to receive care from home, in an effort to provide options to increase access to care and desired health outcomes.
Learning by doing
Partnerships with area organizations and events enhances the learning experience for UWO students and Walrath said community members at the event expressed appreciation for the students' service, screening, education and health promotion. Walrath added that many people offered well wishes to students in their future nursing careers.
UWO faculty and staff are committed to training the next generation of nurses and the College of Nursing expects to send nearly 100 graduates into the workforce following Commencement next month.
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