The Stentor

All I have is four words to say to anyone who shares the opinion of the article "Health on campus, of successes and stumbles" written in the November 19th issue of the Stentor about our campus Health Services… "Go Home to Mommy!!!"

Since the outbreak of all the illnesses on campus, our campus Health Services and Nurse Kathy Salinger have gone above and beyond their call of duty to try and keep our campus community as healthy as possible.

As stated in the previous article, Health Services has made sure that students are constantly reminded with flyers around campus about proper hand washing and recognizing the signs and symptoms of the flu. Health Services was also the one who arranged for ARAMARK to deliver meals to students who are ill. These are two things that did not need to be done but were.

As for where our Health Services is lacking, I believe it's in the area of grateful students. When calling Health Services at extension 5050, they do all that they can try and fit you in during that day and if worse comes to worse you may have to wait until the following day. If you think that waiting that one day is so horrible, then you obviously haven't ever tried to call a doctor's office to make an appointment, where you would be lucky enough to even get in during that week. I think that waiting until the next morning at our health clinic is more than bearable. And is there ever a time when you can walk into any place for a scheduled appointment and you are not faced with a wait? It's just how it is anywhere you go. Remember, patience is a virtue.

Students also have the option of calling Public Safety during evening and night hours and also on weekends for any emergency, so why should there be a need for the clinic to be open during those times? Health Services staff too has a life outside of work, and Public Safety is more than capable of handling any issue. If you aren't sick enough to need to call Public Safety or 911, then there should be no reason why you cannot wait until the following morning or following Monday when Health Services will reopen.

For those of you who had the misfortune of being in "medical isolation," I feel your pain. I too was hit with an illness that sent me confined to my room. While I was ill, however, like the rest of you in a similar situation, I was fortunate enough to have Nurse Salinger call me throughout the duration of my illness to check on how I was feeling. When else does that ever happen? If you are one that believes that she should be visiting your bedside every day, then you should think again. Her phone call alone is appreciated enough. If you need someone to take care of you 24/7, then, like I said before: "Go home to Mommy!" We are all adults and all capable of taking care of ourselves.

In the end, Health Services and Nurse Kathy Salinger have done a tremendous job doing all that they can to keep our community healthy. They continue to work hard hour after and day after day. They don't have an easy job, and we should be thanking them not criticizing them.

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