ACM Campus Store Manager Carla Rice receives a flu shot from Tasha Clark, a fourth semester Nursing student through the college’s Nurse Managed Wellness Clinic. Since its inception in 2014, the Nurse Managed Wellness Clinic has provided clinical experiences for more than 900 students and served approximately 1,500 individuals.
ACM NURSE MANAGED WELLNESS CLINIC OFFERS FLU SHOTS FOR PUBLIC, EXPANDS RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
CUMBERLAND, Md. (Oct. 7, 2020) – Allegany College of Maryland’s Nurse Managed Wellness Clinic is offering low-cost flu shots for the public and its college community. Individuals may email acmnmwc@allegany.edu or call 301-784-5670 to schedule their flu shot. The flu vaccines, priced at $20, are administered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays by ACM’s fourth semester Nursing students. The Nurse Managed Wellness Clinic (NMWC) is in Room 115 of the Allied Health Building. Masks and social distancing are required on ACM’s campus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that it is likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will be spreading this fall and winter. According to the CDC, it’s possible to have the flu, as well as other respiratory illnesses, and COVID-19. Annual flu vaccinations are recommended for all people six months and older.
“It’s important that we all do our part to keep our tightly knit community healthy. Receiving a flu vaccine won’t protect you from contracting the highly contagious COVID-19 virus, but it will reduce your risk of getting the flu. We’re keeping the cost of the vaccination low to accommodate everyone, whether you’re on a fixed income or without health insurance,” explained Cheryl Nelson, NMWC Director.
The Nurse Managed Wellness Clinic provides interprofessional clinical experiences for ACM’s Nursing and Allied Health students in a supervised clinical environment. Students provide disease prevention, health and wellness services to ACM and the local communities while educating clients to be informed, self-directed consumers of health care. One of the NMWC’s largest pool of clients is incoming ACM students who must provide evidence of TB tests and routine vaccinations to enroll in many of its Allied Health programs. In August, the NMWC upgraded its electronic records system to allow for telehealth and record sharing through its secure Point N Click Solutions system. Through the PNC system, students use a secure and confidential Zoom interface for telehealth visits and remote meetings with NMWC staff, upload medical records, and complete required forms.
“It’s our way to help our students succeed. The new system helps them navigate their medical requirements for program admission during this difficult time. It’s been especially beneficial for students who reside out of the area to use a Zoom call to meet with one of our professionals,” noted Anna Kephart, NMWC Office Manager.
New this semester, UPMC Western Maryland Counselor LaDawn Yoder will provide free and unlimited on-site counseling to ACM students at the Nurse Managed Wellness Clinic. Students are encouraged to call 240-964-8585 to schedule confidential 30 to 45-minute counseling session or stop by the NMWC during Yoder’s office hours. The decision to offer a space for counseling services is part of both the clinic and college’s commitment to improving the mental health of its students and promoting mind-body wellness within the community.
Since its inception in 2014, ACM’s Nurse Managed Wellness Clinic has provided clinical experiences for more than 900 students and served approximately 1,500 individuals. Low-cost health services such as screenings, physicals, sports physicals, immunizations, and blood titers are provided by a team of ACM students who are training to become healthcare professionals and managed by a Certified Nurse Practitioner. Funding for the Nurse Managed Wellness Clinic is provided through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and the Maryland Higher Education Commission Nurse Support Program- II Continuation Grant #18-301.
