Four faculty members and 15 students from the UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division and the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions in Kearney provided free sports physical exams on Sept. 15 for current and new athletes who plan to compete in the Special Olympics.
Students in UNMC’s physician assistant and accelerated nursing programs in Kearney provided head-to-toe assessments, which included vision and hearing screenings, vital signs, and education on things like healthy eating and stretching before activities. The physicals were conducted in the Health Science Education Complex on the University of Nebraska-Kearney campus which houses UNMC nursing and allied health programs.
The free event, called West Central MedFest, was open to athletes from the Kearney, Grand Island and Hastings areas who plan to compete in the Special Olympics. The physicals allow athletes to be eligible to compete in the 19 different sports that Special Olympics Nebraska offers year-round throughout the state.
Janet Knisley, D.N.P., assistant clinical professor, UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division, said students benefitted through the educational and service experience. Physician assistant faculty members, Sheila Williams and Mia Hyde, also participated.
“This is a perfect fit for us,” Dr. Knisley said. “The clients we want to serve may not have access to care. If anything comes up in the physical, we’re able to refer them to local providers for help.”