Get a HealthCheck in 20 Minutes

When Johnna Frierson entered the Pratt School of Engineering conference room, she wanted two things: A blood pressure check and tips to get her exercise habits on track.

She was taking 20 minutes for a free HealthCheck, a confidential health assessment provided by LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program. In the conference room, Duke nurses were weighing employees, gently sticking fingers for blood, and wrapping arms in blood pressure cuffs.

Sitting with a nurse, Frierson shared that she gave birth to her second child in February and that her blood pressure was slightly elevated during the pregnancy. Since the birth of her son, she hadn’t gotten a full night’s sleep and had not kept up with her cardio and weightlifting routine.

“I’ve been thinking about exercise a lot lately, after the baby, and I’ve been thinking about how I can get back into that schedule,” said Frierson, Pratt’s director of diversity and inclusion. “The biggest help was just the reminder that the HealthCheck gave me, that you can start small and build on that. I think that was good, that encouragement.”

 Duke employees such as Frierson who work 20 hours or more and are eligible for health insurance benefits can receive a HealthCheck at roving locations on campus once a year at no charge. The checkup includes readings of blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Nurses also calculate body mass index, a measure of obesity. The assessment is capped off with a one-on-one goal-setting session with a LIVE FOR LIFE nurse.

Locations of upcoming HealthCheck opportunities include Duke’s mobile and farmers market, as well as the American Tobacco Campus.

During Frierson’s HealthCheck assessment, Beth Sketch recorded her blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, and weight and height, as well as had a conversation with her about stress, exercise and nutrition.

“You are at such a stressful time of your life, and you need to be kind to yourself,” Sketch, a LIVE FOR LIFE HealthCheck nurse, told Frierson. “There are so many things that change, and then our bodies change.”

When Frierson’s blood pressure recorded 138 over 89, which is considered in the pre-hypertension range, Sketch said she was eligible to participate in Duke’s Steps to Health program, which connects employees to a LIVE FOR LIFE staff member to create and achieve health goals. She also recommended Frierson get a free monthly blood pressure check at a drug store, maintain a regular exercise routine, manage stress and follow a healthy diet, and also make an appointment with her primary care doctor if her blood pressure results continued to be high.

Frierson, who had been exercising regularly before the birth of her son, and Sketch brainstormed ways to incorporate more exercise into the week, especially since Frierson now has two young children. Sketch said the American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise in a week. Sketch suggested a way to get more exercise would be to put her children in a stroller, even for 10 minutes, and take a walk.

“Sometimes what happens with people who have been a really strong exerciser is they get discouraged,” Sketch said. “They don’t have an hour to go exercise, so they’re not going to do anything. But just small pieces really do make a difference.”

At the end of the HealthCheck, Frierson and Sketch collaborated on goals: Frierson will continue to monitor her blood pressure and will walk two times a week for 10 minutes.

“Be gentle so you can build,” Sketch said. “We really try to meet you where you’re at. The change doesn’t happen until the person is ready to make the change.”

Dates and locations for HealthChecks can be found on the Duke Events Calendar.