Pharmacy students at South Dakota State University are being recognized for their work promoting diabetes awareness.
The student group won a regional award through the Operation Diabetes competition. It helps identify community members who could be at risk for developing the disease.
The Student Collaboration for the Advancement and Promotion of Pharmacy has participated in the Operation Diabetes competition since it began in 2001. SDSU competes with several universities in the Midwest.
Adviser Teresa Seefeldt says students are evaluated on their involvement and impact outside of the classroom.
“They are learning about diabetes and how to use glucose meters and things like that in class and lab. And so, this really gives them an opportunity to practice those skills in real-world situations with patients as well as providing a service to the community.”
Last year, a small coalition of students tested individuals for blood glucose levels at multiple screening events in Brookings, Pierre and Sioux Falls. They conducted more than 250 screenings at the 2019 South Dakota State Fair in Huron.
Ashley Bernardy co-chaired the student group last year. She says the events helped teach others about diabetes.
“There's not lot of places that you can just go get a blood glucose screening done. If those readings are high, we can refer them on to their physician. We can say, ‘Oh, this looks a little bit high. You might want to follow up with your primary care provider.’”
Bernardy says the group added insulin administration devices to teach others how they work.
Co-chair Abby Blanchett says the COVID-19 pandemic changed how they do screenings this year.
“We do all of the safety precautions. We sanitize between patients then we sanitize the table between patients. Everyone's wearing a face mask and a face shield and gloves and making sure that everything is completely cleaned at all times.”
SDSU students will continue to provide free blood glucose screenings for the foreseeable future.
-Contact SDPB reporter John Nguyen by email.