Charleston nurse partners with libraries to provide health resources

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Since the start of the pandemic, the Charleston County Public Library says they’ve seen the need for community health grow.

The library has a women’s telehealth program with community partners like the Medical University of South Carolina. They are looking at possible options to bring other services to the library in the future.

This summer a registered nurse is partnering with the library to conduct a community health needs assessment around Charleston. Hannah Bouchard is looking to see how a nurse can support existing programs at the library or develop new ones.

The community health needs assessment will consist of surveys, and conversations about health-related topics with the community, and Bouchard will provide limited hands-on care, like blood pressure checks and body mass index tests.

Bouchard will collect data about community health needs for the next two years. In the future, this could mean the library will partner with a nurse to provide care or with an organization that is already doing so to better serve their community.

A few other ideas include programs like coffee and conversations with a nurse or health coaching.

“Having a nurse in the library gives access to healthcare and helps connect people to those resources that are already in our community, people just don’t quite know about them so that is what I’m here for,” Bouchard says.

At the library pop-ups, Bouchard can’t treat or diagnose people. What she can do is provide information about health-related issues, training, workshops and more.

Click here for this summer’s library nurse schedule or to take the survey.

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