As the fall semester transitions into winter, the flu virus will run into students as fast as upcoming assignments. Thankfully, Grand Valley State University’s nursing students are ready to prepare students, faculty and staff.

The Kirkhof College of Nursing is staffing on-campus clinics for the entire month of October starting on Oct. 3. Various locations include GVSU Family Health Center in Grand Rapids, The Fieldhouse main lobby, Kirkhof Center during the GVSU Health and Wellness Summit, DeVos Center, Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon, Grand River Room, Holton-Hooker Learning and Living Center, Meijer Campus in Holland and Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences. 

The flu shots will be administered by the bachelor degree program and the registered nurses program among others. The time allotted for students there to receive the vaccination will count toward their clinical hours for volunteering. The nursing faculty at the GVSU Family Health Center will also be giving flu shots.

“It’s really important to get your flu shots,” said Patient Services Manager Brianne Burke. “I’ve heard students coming into the family health center saying they don’t need it or it’s going to get them sick and that’s just not true. I really think the myths on flu shots are taking over and changing the opinions of some students. Students don’t know [vaccinations] are offered here or that we have a family clinic they can come to. If they did need care, aside from vaccines, we’re also available for that too.” 

Grand Valley State University will also be participating in the Michigan Department of Community Health College Student Challenge for its fifth consecutive year. GVSU’s goal is to gain its title for the medium-school division.

“The flu shot challenge is a competition between most of the big colleges in Michigan,” Burke said. “We register every flu shot we give or we ask the students to register their own flu shot and that counts as a point toward the college totals. Those fund scholarships and different programs. We were in first for the longest time last year. We really want to promote that to the students this year that we want to win that challenge.”

Students can send their bill to their insurance company, provided that they have an insurance card on their person. In addition, students are able to charge their student account using their G-number to ensure there is no need to pay out of pocket. Retirees, faculty and staff members and their dependents can receive vaccinations for free.

To combat the flu and win the College Student Challenge, students can get their vaccination at one of the many dates and times listed on Grand Valley’s Family Health Center website.