Flu Season is here and the nursing students at Washburn University are fully prepared to give shots and help keep the students and faculty members healthy.

Many years ago, the nursing department partnered with Washburn Student Health in administering flu shots at different locations on campus. This is the School of Nursing’s way of giving back to the community. Not only does this benefit people getting the flu shots, it also helps the nursing students practice while they are still in school.

“There’s not a lot of times that we do IM injections anymore. Mainly it’s all vaccines, so this is a chance for them to really get to practice and get their skills honed,” said Susan Maendele, a lecturer in the School of Nursing.

Tiffany McManis, Director of Washburn Student Health, explains that these clinics give nursing students even more practical skills by learning to give “multiple injections in a short amount of time.”

The nursing students first practice giving each other flu shots before administering the flu shot to their peers on campus.

“The flu shot clinics are faculty supervised events,” said McManis. “So there is a licensed person in attendance at each event to assure that each student nurse is using proper and safe technique with every clinic patron.”

Even though we are still in a pandemic, the School of Nursing and student health wanted to make flu shots accessible for students, faculty and staff here at Washburn. All participating parties are taking extra safety precautions.

This year they will be doing drive-up flu shots. This was deemed the safest and most efficient way for the student nurses to give a flu shot for all involved.

There will be more drive-up flu shot clinics throughout the month of October popping up. The flu shots will be $15 dollars.

“Come get your flu shot, keep yourself safe, keep your family safe and keep the campus safe” said Maendele.

Edited by Joelle Conway, Matthew L. Self, Abbie Barth