10/22/2026
🕷️🩺 Learning in the Field: Tick Surveillance with VCHD!
Over the past two weeks, nursing students from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign joined the Vermilion County Health Department’s (VCHD) Environmental Health staff to assist with tick drags as part of our ongoing efforts to monitor local tick populations.
🌿 Why is this important for future nurses?
Tickborne illnesses, including Lyme disease, can pose significant health risks. Understanding how ticks live, where they are found, and how tickborne diseases are transmitted helps future nurses recognize potential exposures, educate patients on prevention, and identify symptoms that may warrant further medical evaluation.
From the field to the healthcare setting, collaboration between public health and nursing professionals plays an important role in protecting our community. Experiences like these help nursing students connect environmental health with patient care and disease prevention.
👏 A big thank-you to the University of Illinois nursing students for working alongside our Environmental Health team and learning more about the important role environmental surveillance plays in public health!
Remember: When spending time outdoors, use EPA-registered insect repellent, wear appropriate clothing, check yourself and your pets for ticks, and shower and check for ticks after coming inside.
