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Nursing students teach bird flu facts
Nursing students teach bird flu facts
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/14415238.htm
ST. SCHOLASTICA:Nursing students collaborate with St. Louis County to teach about avian flu, which some fear could spread worldwide.
BY STEVE KUCHERA
NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
<!-- begin body-content --> A dozen College of St. Scholastica nursing students are working with St. Louis County to educate people about a much-publicized and widely misunderstood disease.
"We thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to have them make some kind of impact regarding avian flu," St. Scholastica nursing professor Joan Rich said. "We want to make sure the proper facts and information get out."
Currently, avian flu is is transmitted from birds to people, but is not transmitted from person to person. According to a World Health Organization report in February, avian flu "has crossed the species barrier to infect humans on at least three occasions in recent years: in Hong Kong in 1997 (18 cases with six deaths), in Hong Kong in 2003 (two cases with one death) and in the current outbreaks that began in December 2003 and were first recognized in January 2004."
The fear is that the virus will change to allow for easy person-to-person transmission. If that happens, the virus could develop into the next pandemic -- a worldwide epidemic killing millions of people.
As many as 50 million people worldwide died in the 1918-19 influenza pandemic. The world has had two less severe pandemics since. Some experts believe we are due for another.
State officials estimate that if avian flu becomes a pandemic, perhaps 1.5 million of Minnesota's 5.1 million residents could become ill.
Working with the county's health department, the students, who are on their public health nursing rotation, split into three teams -- one each to work with schools, churches and owners of small poultry farms. In meetings and through material, the nursing students are educating people about avian flu's status, signs and symptoms, preventive measures and local resources.
The students began with information provided by St. Louis County, then tailored it to different groups by preparing fliers and creating PowerPoint and other presentations on the potential effects of avian flu and how people can prepare for it. They distributed materials and held informational sessions, including one Saturday at St. Scholastica.
"They have done a fabulous job," said Jim Gangl, St. Louis County public health preparedness coordinator. "I have been extremely impressed with the things they did. They are very enthusiastic. They jumped right in and did the research. They went above and beyond what was required."
Gangl has shared with colleagues around the region and the state some of the items the students produced.
"We've been working really hard to get this information out," student Deana Keliin said. "I was really happy; there were a lot of good questions that came about from our last session in Cotton. I think the public wants to know more about it, and it's great that they are asking questions."
The students also are working to correct misconceptions about avian flu.
"One of the statements we heard was that you can catch avian flu by eating chicken," student Theresa Flesvig said. "Nothing could be further from the truth. Certainly, we don't want to undermine the U.S. poultry industry."
Flesvig chose to work on the poultry team.
"At this point, avian flu is only passed from infected poultry to people," she said. "Most of the time, it is people who care for or have direct contact with infected birds. That's why we chose that population. We felt that if they don't get sick, then the general population won't get sick."
The team put out a survey at feed mills and met with local farmers to find out what they know and what they want to know about avian flu. The students learned and shared with farmers precautions they can take to protect their flocks and themselves from avian flu.
"It has been a valuable experience and really kind of fun," Flesvig said. "Who would ever had thought that a nursing program would get us in touch with backyard chicken farmers? They are a great group of people. Very enthusiastic."
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/14415238.htm
ST. SCHOLASTICA:Nursing students collaborate with St. Louis County to teach about avian flu, which some fear could spread worldwide.
BY STEVE KUCHERA
NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
<!-- begin body-content --> A dozen College of St. Scholastica nursing students are working with St. Louis County to educate people about a much-publicized and widely misunderstood disease.
"We thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to have them make some kind of impact regarding avian flu," St. Scholastica nursing professor Joan Rich said. "We want to make sure the proper facts and information get out."
Currently, avian flu is is transmitted from birds to people, but is not transmitted from person to person. According to a World Health Organization report in February, avian flu "has crossed the species barrier to infect humans on at least three occasions in recent years: in Hong Kong in 1997 (18 cases with six deaths), in Hong Kong in 2003 (two cases with one death) and in the current outbreaks that began in December 2003 and were first recognized in January 2004."
The fear is that the virus will change to allow for easy person-to-person transmission. If that happens, the virus could develop into the next pandemic -- a worldwide epidemic killing millions of people.
As many as 50 million people worldwide died in the 1918-19 influenza pandemic. The world has had two less severe pandemics since. Some experts believe we are due for another.
State officials estimate that if avian flu becomes a pandemic, perhaps 1.5 million of Minnesota's 5.1 million residents could become ill.
Working with the county's health department, the students, who are on their public health nursing rotation, split into three teams -- one each to work with schools, churches and owners of small poultry farms. In meetings and through material, the nursing students are educating people about avian flu's status, signs and symptoms, preventive measures and local resources.
The students began with information provided by St. Louis County, then tailored it to different groups by preparing fliers and creating PowerPoint and other presentations on the potential effects of avian flu and how people can prepare for it. They distributed materials and held informational sessions, including one Saturday at St. Scholastica.
"They have done a fabulous job," said Jim Gangl, St. Louis County public health preparedness coordinator. "I have been extremely impressed with the things they did. They are very enthusiastic. They jumped right in and did the research. They went above and beyond what was required."
Gangl has shared with colleagues around the region and the state some of the items the students produced.
"We've been working really hard to get this information out," student Deana Keliin said. "I was really happy; there were a lot of good questions that came about from our last session in Cotton. I think the public wants to know more about it, and it's great that they are asking questions."
The students also are working to correct misconceptions about avian flu.
"One of the statements we heard was that you can catch avian flu by eating chicken," student Theresa Flesvig said. "Nothing could be further from the truth. Certainly, we don't want to undermine the U.S. poultry industry."
Flesvig chose to work on the poultry team.
"At this point, avian flu is only passed from infected poultry to people," she said. "Most of the time, it is people who care for or have direct contact with infected birds. That's why we chose that population. We felt that if they don't get sick, then the general population won't get sick."
The team put out a survey at feed mills and met with local farmers to find out what they know and what they want to know about avian flu. The students learned and shared with farmers precautions they can take to protect their flocks and themselves from avian flu.
"It has been a valuable experience and really kind of fun," Flesvig said. "Who would ever had thought that a nursing program would get us in touch with backyard chicken farmers? They are a great group of people. Very enthusiastic."