Unless you have personally experienced debilitating pain and stiffness in your hands, knees or other joints, it can be hard to understand the day-to-day limitations arthritis can impose on a person.
Hoping to increase pharmacy students’ awareness of those limitations, Jennifer Robinson, clinical instructor, and Patty Greenburg, laboratory assistant, recently conducted a pharmaceutical care laboratory on the Pullman campus in which osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms were simulated during a student exercise.
After taping their fingers and then adding rubber gloves, students were instructed to fill medicine boxes, write information on a form, play cards or button a shirt. They also taped their knees and then tried to walk to the sink for a glass of water. The results were eye opening.
Photos courtesy of Lorraine Nelson, College of Pharmacy
