Quinnipiac University to Offer Free Youth Heart Screenings on Feb. 1

HAMDEN, Conn. – Quinnipiac University will offer quick, painless and free cardiac screenings on Saturday, Feb. 1.

The event, for area families, young adults and Quinnipiac students, will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Recreation and Wellness Center on the Mount Carmel Campus, 275 Mount Carmel Ave.
Walk-ins are welcome, but pre-registration is encouraged at screening.inaheartbeat.org.

Pina Violano, the School of Nursing’s Director of Community Engagement, said this large-scale health and wellness event will engage nursing students with the greater community while providing an electrocardiogram (EKG) that could save a life. According to In A Heartbeat, an EKG can detect approximately 60% of heart condition abnormalities associated with sudden cardiac death that cannot be detected by a stethoscope.

“This is preventative medicine at its best,” said Violano, who is also a Clinical Associate Professor of Nursing. “We’re looking at finding any young person that may have any kind of hidden ailment with their heart. It’s a simple screening that could prevent them from dying on a basketball court or playing field.”

Statistics from the American Academy of Pediatrics show nearly 2,000 Americans age 25 and under die annually from sudden cardiac arrest, often due to undiagnosed heart problems.
In A Heartbeat founder and Bobcat alumnus Mike Papale, who graduated in 2011, experienced sudden cardiac arrest at age 17 while playing basketball at a Wallingford court. An EMT who was in the building administered CPR until an ambulance equipped with an AED arrived to re-start Papale’s heart. The experience convinced Papale of the need to have public access to AED machines in communal spaces and inspired him to found In a Heartbeat.

“Each year, we lose more and more of our youth to sudden cardiac arrest,” said Papale, who also spent three seasons as director of operations for the men’s basketball team at Quinnipiac. “Many of these deaths are preventable. A quick, simple, painless electrocardiogram (EKG) can detect most heart diseases that can cause sudden cardiac arrest in youth. We are proud to participate in the Parent Heart Watch National Youth Screening Day and our ultimate goal is to help save more lives.”

At Quinnipiac, the School of Nursing Community Engagement Program offers vital health and safety training designed to equip individuals from across the university and surrounding communities with the skills needed to respond confidently and effectively in emergencies. Violano has often teamed up with Papale and student volunteers to offer life-saving intervention training and services at Quinnipiac athletic events and other programs.

“Together, Mike and I have held other screenings, but not to the magnitude we have planned for this event. Our goal is to screen over 200 people,” said Violano. “We’re helping the community, we’re saving lives, and we’re providing hands-on clinical experience to our own students.”
The Feb. 1 screening event will combine the services of nursing students of all levels together with School of Nursing faculty, as well as volunteers trained in CPR and AED. Hands-on CPR training for community members will also be offered. Additionally, Violano has connected with two pediatric cardiologists to provide patient support emergently, if needed.

“Should someone’s screening alert to something of concern, we will get them in immediately to see a physician,” said Violano.

Violano said the chance for nursing students to provide EKG screenings to patients, especially those of a young age, is a unique opportunity.

“You could be a nurse for 10 years and never do an EKG on anyone. This is providing nursing students with experiential learning. It’s real-life experience,” said Violano.

The free cardiac screening event also provides a vital service to families and young adults which could prevent a tragic outcome.

“As a former pediatric intensive care unit nurse, I know first-hand the devastation a parent faces when they receive a notice that their child has a heart defect,” Violano said. “In my mind, there’s no question that this is the right thing to do. A simple painless screening can prevent a tragedy for a family and more importantly save a life. As nurses, we’re one of the most trusted professions, and we want the community to know that we are here for them. By hosting this free event on Feb 1, we’re doing the right thing for families and their kids.”