TRENTON, S.C. – Faculty and students from Augusta University traveled to Trenton, S.C. to offer health screenings for employees at one of Edgefield County’s largest employers.
Claudia Senn, Human Resources Administrator at Costa Layman said 215 of the 350 employees at their site in Trenton signed up to be part of a health fair, sponsored by the Augusta University College of Nursing
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This project began 17 years ago; however, the July 22 fair was the first large scale health fare they have been able to hold since 2019.
“It means a lot, not only for us as a company, but the fact that we can provide our employees with the opportunity. They get checked when they don’t have so much access to health care is very important for us and we like to do it, you know, on our time, they still get paid to attend,” said Senn.
Organizers were not able to stage the full-scale health fare because of SARS-CoV-2. They did, however, hold basic health screenings on a limited basis. That helped make Costa Layman employees eligible for vaccinations as age guidelines expanded.
“Because at the beginning, it was very, very hard to get vaccinated. So, the fact that we were able to provide it for free for them, it was a big difference. After the second shot, we saw that decrease in the numbers of people that were getting COVID. So, it was it was a tremendous impact for our employees,” said Senn.
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With the health fair back to its original size, Tanya Sudia, dean of the College of Nursing, said there was no shortage of volunteers from the nursing students.
“One of our students just told me, ‘This is just a fantastic opportunity to take what I’ve learned in the classroom and apply it in a real-world setting, as well as to see many different cultural aspects and components in action,’” she said.
One of those volunteering was first-timer Jacob Sumpter from the master of science in nursing clinical nurse leader program.
“I think it’s an amazing event, because we’re able to provide, not only health care for the employees here, but provide in a way that’s culturally and linguistically competent, which is like, really important right now in health care,” he said.
Other partners, including the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, also participated. A wide range of screenings and tests were available including occupational and physical therapy, HIV screening and dental checks.
Dr. Pamela Cromer from the College of Nursing helped organize this year’s event. She said one benefit to the health fair is it joins medical personnel with people who might not otherwise have healthcare.
“This is an agricultural community and the lifeblood of the communities around here. And these are the workers that feed our families,” she said. “We have all sorts of industry here. And these workers will travel during peak production seasons, from one farm to the other, depending on what is their peak production and whether it’s poultry, horticulture, timber, beef, cattle, that kind of thing.”
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She added there is also a tangible benefit for students who volunteer.
“We feel like we’re providing our students with high level education, because we’re trying to keep our communities healthy, the public health care aspect,” she said. “A lot of students are going to work in the hospital. Hospital care is very costly, and we don’t need to put people in the hospital that can be managed in the community. So that’s what this is about on the training side, is to show them how much is needed out in communities that can help the entire community.”
“Most of the time the patients respond very well to us trying to give them a little bit of insight on what’s happening with their own body,” Sumpter said. “I think this event gives the employees here a good opportunity, just take a moment to themselves and see how they’re doing.”
The screenings done at the health fair are not a one-and-done. Workers are set up with follow up visits or referrals, as well.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
