As part of an effort to promote health and wellness among students, faculty, and staff at the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, nursing students from Campbell University in Buies Creek held a series of wellness events. These events were spearheaded by Jamie Herman, special assistant to the dean, in collaboration with the nursing school, a part of the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.
The first of these events was organized on September 25th. Known as the Wellness Fair, the event reached out to the members at the Raleigh campus, presenting a range of health services. Participants had the opportunity to avail themselves of flu vaccines, blood pressure screenings, and stress assessment and relief interventions, amongst other offerings.
This initiative was born out of concern for the fact that many busy law students might not prioritize their health and wellness effectively. Having recognized that students might find it challenging to spare the time to visit the Campbell Health Center on main campus located in Buies Creek, Herman decided to bring wellness to them by organizing these events at the law school regularly.
In addition to the health services offered, the Wellness Fair also provided critical information about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption, the importance of a balanced diet, daily physical activity, and how to assess and manage stress.
The fair not only catered to the well being of law students but also served as a practical training arena for future nurses. Nursing students from the Catherine W. Wood School of Law were actively involved in providing health services and advice at the fair, simulating a real-world health care environment.
On the topic of alcohol consumption in the legal profession, Sharon Boyd, a nursing instructor and student success coordinator at Campbell commented on how the legal profession is plagued with high rates of alcohol use disorders. As provided by the American Bar Association (ABA), up to one in five lawyers could be labeled as problem drinkers, a rate that’s twice the national average.
Boyd also discussed healthy eating habits at the fair and warned about the inherent dangers of excessive alcohol use. Balance can be difficult to achieve for professionals constantly under high-stress situations, like lawyers, whose career and personal life can be severely disrupted by substance abuse disorders.
Boyd emphasized that even though the law school is not on the main campus, they are still a significant part of Campbell and are entitled to avail all resources provided by the university’s health center.
It’s crucial that all students, regardless of their course of study, understand that maintaining a healthy lifestyle plays an essential role in managing high academic and professional demands. This sentiment was echoed by Emily McAteer, a nursing student at Campbell University, who participated in the Wellness Fair. She empathized with the stress law students go through, given her own experiences in nursing school. Acknowledging the intensity of the pressure faced by law students, McAteer saw the Wellness Fair as an important platform to educate and assist attendees in the best way possible.
Initiatives such as these demonstrate the importance of collaborative healthcare ventures in academic institutions, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to student wellness, which combines academic success with physical and mental well-being.
