Nursing and University Health Services help Children’s Center protect from the flu

Falling leaves and falling temperatures often mean the increased risk of catching colds or the flu. To help keep the littlest Broncos from getting sick, Boise State's University Health Services is teaming up with the School of Nursing to offer a flu shot clinic for the Children's Center.

The clinic is Thursday, Oct. 16 from 3-5:30 p.m. at Boise State's Children's Center for their staff, enrolled children and their families. The center encourages pre-registration - via forms at their front desk - but same day registration and walk-in slots are available.

In previous years, Boise State's Public Health Response Team offered vaccination services, but they stepped back this year. So Health Services took on the responsibility.

Nursing students often gain real-world experience through opportunities on campus, such as the Boise State COVID mass vaccination clinic pictured here in April 2021.

"It gives us an opportunity to provide convenient services to our Bronco families that create a healthier and safer community," said Julie Zamzow, the nursing supervisor in University Health Services. "We typically do not serve pediatrics or dependents in the clinic, but the Children's Center has really valued this event in the past so we wanted to be able to continue the tradition."

This is where the School of Nursing comes in.

Several nursing faculty are pediatric specialists who can provide a skills session as a refresher for University Health Services nurses. The school also recruited student volunteers to help implement the actual vaccine clinic.

Boise State nurses have served in campus vaccine clinics since the early years of the nursing programs, such as the clinic pictured here in 1956.

"We're stepping in to help maintain essential health services while providing valuable real-world experience for our students," said Veronica McDuffee, clinical assistant professor and clinical coordinator for the pre-license bachelor's in nursing program.

Zamzow said it will be a "great overall learning experience" for nursing students who are participating, partially because they're able to practice pediatric nursing skills, but also because they get to "see and experience aspects of community health and clinic nursing that they don't often get to see."

"It's also an excellent opportunity to get out on campus and make connections with our Bronco community," Zamzow said. "The nursing students are so valued and we appreciate their willingness to help so much."

University Health Services and the School of Nursing will continue their partnership throughout the fall as they offer multiple pop-up vaccine clinics for the adult Bronco community. Participants should bring their university ID card and insurance card.

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