BSC Second Year Nursing Students
Collect Medications to Help
Mercer Health Right
Meet Patients' Needs

Bluefield State College Associate Degree Nursing second year students recently presented more than $75,000 worth of medications to Mercer Health Right. The medication was collected during a two-month community-focused project and will augment Mercer Health Right’s ability to help qualifying patients. Pictured (left-to-right) are Sandra Wynn (BSC’s ADN interim program director) BSC nursing students Billy Clay and Melissa Parks, Debbie Enigk (Mercer Health Right clinic administrator) and BSC students Rebecca Hamro and Tammy Eskins.

( Bluefield)—Many residents of this region can’t afford over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medication they desperately need. Recognizing this, second year students in the Bluefield State College Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program launched a campaign to collect OTC and prescription medications that were recently presented to Mercer Health Right. The students were able to collect more than 50,000 pills with a market value of more than $75,000.

“This project really enhances our ability to provide medications to patients who qualify for assistance,” noted Debbie Enigk, Mercer Health Right’s Clinic Administrator. “Most of our patients have an income of $600 or less per month and they can’t afford many medications they desperately need. The BSC nursing students’ project could truly be lifesaving for some of our patients.”

“Each year, our second year students launch a service project that addresses adult health challenges,” noted Sandra Wynn, Interim ADN program director. “The project this semester helps patients to obtain over-the-counter medications for conditions that, if untreated, could grow worse and result in hospitalization.”

Billy Clay, President of the BSC Student Nurses Association, said the students used a multi-faceted approach to collect the medication. “We started the project in October,” he explained. “One student in the program worked for a pharmaceutical manufacturer and arranged for us to receive donations from that company. We approached physicians’ offices and installed ‘drop boxes’ at various locations to collect OTC medications. Walmart and Sam’s Club donated gift cards that were used to purchase medications.”

“This experience helped us realize that, sometimes, patients aren’t being stubborn when they don’t take their medication,” added Melissa Parks, another student involved in the project. “They may not have enough money to pay for the medicine.”

“We look for a relevant, community-oriented project for our ‘Nursing Care of Adults II’ class,” Wynn said. “This project helps prepare our students for their community clinical experience next semester.”

December 13, 2006