Keeping Philadelphia healthy
Dr. Amy McKeever, Dr. Ruth McDermott-Levy and Prof. Carolyn Walsh (front row) join the Omani nursing students, AACDC Associate Director, Zeina El Halabi (back row, 3rd from left), AmeriCorps volunteer Wiam Mutan (5th from left) and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter for a photo on November 4th during their health fair and flu shot clinic.
It’s not every day that you conduct a health fair and flu clinic and the mayor shows up. On November 4th that’s just what happened when College of Nursing students with Assistant Professor Ruth McDermott-Levy, PhD, RN and clinical faculty Carolyn Walsh, MSN, RN accompanied eight nursing students from the Sultanate of Oman to the Arab American Community Development Corporation (AACDC) in Kensington. The students, who are earning their bachelor of science in nursing degree at Villanova, were administering flu shots to community members at the center along with medical students from Thomas Jefferson University who were conducting blood pressure screenings.
Philadelphia’s Mayor Michael Nutter arrived at AACDC to meet with the leaders of the Arab American community and visit the center. He enjoyed meeting the Omani nursing students. “He seemed amazed and impressed that they would come over here for 18 months to broaden their education,” said Prof. Walsh.
Dr. McDermott-Levy is collaborating with AACDC and fellow Villanova doctoral program alumna Amy McKeever, PhD, CRNP, a women’s health specialist who was there to conduct breast exams, to promote the Komen Breast Health Program.