Nursing, Pharmacy schools offer early flu shots

The School of Nursing and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have joined forces to form a pilot interprofessional clinic that will offer early influenza shots to the incoming PharmD Class of 2019 — a group of nearly 140 students.

The flu clinic will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 27.

The program will offer pharmacy students the shots before the start of the flu season, which would allow them to work in clinical settings without the need to wear surgical masks. Clinics that offer early flu shots are often difficult to find.

The UB clinic also will create an opportunity for collaboration between the nursing and pharmacy schools, as nursing students will work with faculty and teaching assistants from both disciplines.

“Nurses and pharmacists frequently work together in hospitals,” says Kelly Foltz-Ramos, clinical laboratory coordinator in the School of Nursing. “The clinic is a great way to help them become comfortable working together and learn what each other’s roles are.”

The program is expected to expand next year to offer early flu shots to all students and faculty in schools related to the health sciences. The pharmacy school will provide additional clinics during September for the remainder of their students and faculty.

The School of Nursing and Student Health Services will offer flu shots to the entire UB community on the following dates:

• Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Student Union Flag Room, North Campus.
• Oct. 2, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Biomedical Education Building lobby, South Campus.