Meet Emily Edwards, the dedicated Public Health Nurse Manager at the Fishers Health Department. In honor of HPV Awareness Month, we’re excited to highlight Emily’s incredible contributions to public health as well as what the health department offers residents to prevent HPV.
What is your role within the Fishers Health Department?
My role at the Fishers Health Department is managing our clinal services and our clinical program areas. I make sure that our clinical services are up and running efficiently, making sure the nurses are properly trained. Then I work with our nurses to roll out new services to the community. I also work with other members of the Fishers Health Department to coordinate some of the services we offer. Whether it’s offsite immunization clinics or back-to-school immunizations, we partner with different organizations to make our vaccine and other services more accessible our Fishers residents.
What do you love about your role?
What I enjoy most about this role is providing services to our community and being able to outreach – getting to really know the community that we serve. I also enjoy planning ahead and thinking about other things that may happen, like outbreak response and making sure our team is prepared to help keep our community safe. I like being able to work through those potential responses with them.
What can you tell us about HPV Awareness Month and HPV vaccinations?
March is HPV Awareness Month, which highlights one of my favorite vaccines here at the Fishers Health Department. HPV, which is the Human Papillomavirus, is a group of viruses that can infect the skin and mucous membranes (moist surfaces) of the body and typically spread by through skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. This vaccine can help prevent certain types of cancers and can be given starting at age nine. We typically see kids here in the clinic for their back-to-school vaccines, so we like to talk with parents about HPV at that time. The earlier that the vaccine is given, the more time the body has to build up immunity against HPV.
How can someone get vaccinated against HPV?
If someone is unsure of their status with the HPV vaccine, residents can reach out to the Fishers Health Department. We can find out more information and discuss whether or not they are eligible to receive the vaccine or if they are up to date.
Stay healthy this March by receiving the HPV vaccine! Schedule an appointment or consultation today at the Fishers Health Department by visiting health.fishersin.gov.
