Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           985/549-2341/fax 985-549-2061
    Date: 03/09/01
      Contact:                           Angey Saucier   101

SOUTHEASTERN NURSING REACHES OUT TO COMMUNITY 
     HAMMOND   Southeastern Louisiana University's College of Nursing and Health
Sciences will be making numerous public appearances this spring in promoting health and well-
being in Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes.
     On Thursday, March 15, visitors to the cattle auction at Amite Livestock Sales will have
the opportunity to receive free skin cancer and respiratory screenings, glucose and cholesterol
checks and hearing tests from the Department of Nursing, Department of Communication
Sciences and Disorders and North Oaks hospital. The health fair is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2
p.m.
     Students enrolled in Southeastern's community health nursing course will be promoting
gun safety at the Louisiana Oyster Festival in Amite on Saturday, March 17 by handing out free
gun locks.
     According to nursing student Marie Cavalier, in 1997, there were 981 per 100,000 people
affected by unintentional firearm injuries in Louisiana. 
     "We believe that gun locks are crucial to the prevention of unintentional firearm injuries,"
said Cavalier. "Therefore we are implementing a gun lock/gun safety program at the Louisiana
Oyster festival, where more than 25,000 people attended last year. Our goal is to provide gun
safety education to the people at the festival and to distribute free gun locks."
     Free diabetic and blood pressure tests will also be available by the department at the
Oyster Festival. Both booths will be located in the chili cook-off tent.
     On April 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., senior nursing students, representatives from the
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Tangipahoa Parish Public Health
Unit will be at the Strawberry Festival in Ponchatoula. Free tetanus immunizations, blood
pressure and hearing screenings and first aid information will be available on 5th Street across
from City Hall.
     Outreach projects, such as these, have been made possible by the Farmworkers Health
Initiative, a $560,000 grant provided by the Department of Health and Human Services Health
Resources and Services Administration. FWHI incorporates educational, medical and
agricultural network partners and communities in Tangipahoa and St. Helena parishes to educate,
prevent and detect health problems among agricultural-related workers.
                            - SLU -
     This press release is available on the World Wide Web:
       www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsp01.htm