Student Health Services provides "accessible, responsive, cost-effective and quality health care and education" allowing "students to make responsible choices and perform optimally both physically and mentally."
What Faculty should know about Health Services
- What does Health Services do?
- Where is Health Services? When is it open?
- What services are available to faculty?
- When might a faculty member need to refer a student to Health Services?
- What is the absence excuse policy in Health Services?
Health Services's Nurse Practitioners, Nurses and part time physician (10 hours a week during the academic semester) provide services to full and part-time day students who pay a health fee; we do not provide services for DCE students.
These services include, but are not limited to, treatment for such problems as:
- upper respiratory infections,
- communicable diseases (pertussis, chicken pox, sexually transmitted diseases etc.),
- family planning,
- emergency contraception,
- strains,
- sprains,
- rashes, and
- acute management of chronic problems such as asthma, diabetes, and eating disorders.
We manage chronic problems in collaboration with the student's primary care provider. We refer students to the counseling center for all mental health issues and work collaboratively with them on such issues as eating disorders. We offer required vaccines, which we are mandated by state law to collect on all full time matriculated students, for a nominal fee.
| Where is Health Services? | top |
Health Services is located off of Ring Road near Elmwood Hall [map]. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM until 4:45 PM and Saturday 10:00 AM until 1:45 PM. Sundays we are closed.
What services are available for faculty?
General Services for faculty are limited to first aid for on the job injuries. However, we also offer blood pressure screenings throughout the semester at advertised times and flu clinics when the vaccine is available.
Our website we have a self care guide which provides valuable information about many common illnesses and what to do if you are ill. We recently added a full time 10 month health educator, Beth-Anne Vieira (extension 6965), who is available to come and talk to classes on health topics as well as to provide general health information and connect you with local resources.
CPR classes are available for a fee to all students, faculty and staff. You can find out more information about these classes by calling x 8982.
We also offer free HIV testing each semester for all students, faculty or staff. This is currently located in the Women's Resource Center at x 4584.
| When might a faculty member refer a student to Health Services? | top |
Faculty should consider referring a student who is ill or has medical questions or concerns. If a student is missing tests, classes etc. and states that it is due to an illness and they say they have been seen in health services, please ask the student to come to health services and sign a release that will allow the health services staff to talk to you.
What is the absence excuse policy in Health Services?
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Health Services policy has always been not to issue absence excuses. Because a student's symptoms are frequently subjective (vomited all night) with no objective findings (physical exam normal), the value of an absence excuse becomes very questionable.
When a student is seriously ill and may need to be out for an extended period of time a clinician will usually write an absence note. This however, would be very rare.
Again, if a problematic student (misses classes and tests) claims his or her absences are due to an illness, have the student sign a release in our office giving the health services staff permission to discuss their visit or visits with you. This process is usually very informative for both parties.
What is the link to the Health Services website?
The Health Services web site is at http://www.umassd.edu/studentaffairs/health/welcome.cfm.
Here you can find information in much more detail as well as the self care guide referenced above.
