Away From Home & Sick for the First Time: How Can You Help Your Student?

By: Libby Skiles, Health Center

It is always hard when your student calls and tells you they aren’t feeling well. And for many students, this is the first time they have gotten sick without you there to care for them. Here are some tips from the Health Center on how you can support your student when they’re ill—no matter how far away you are.

Help guide, but let them decide

While they may not feel well, this is a learning experience for our students. It is a good opportunity for them to learn how to assess their own wellness and start making decisions about what steps to take. Guide them through the decision-making process by asking them questions about their illness. For example:

• What signs and symptoms are you experiencing?
• How long have you been ill?
• What have you done to relieve your symptoms?
• Do you feel like you need to be seen immediately, or do you want to wait a day or two (like you might do with a common cold)?

Know what Gonzaga resources are available to support them

There are many resources available to support students when they are ill.

The Gonzaga University Health Center has a Board-Certified Family Medicine physician and nurse practitioners available Monday-Friday, 8 am – 5 pm (Wednesdays 10 am-5 pm). The Health Center can see students for all illnesses and provide treatment or transfer them to a higher level of care if there is reason to suspect a more concerning medical condition, such as appendicitis. Students can always walk in and consult with a nurse for free. If they don’t know what to do, our nursing team can help answer questions and get them on the right care plan.

Health Rides are available evenings and weekends for urgent care visits. These rides can be arranged by calling 509-313-5878. We will help transport students via taxi cab to a local urgent care provider.

Resident Assistants (RAs) are always a great resource when students aren’t feeling well. Oftentimes, being sick away from home is an emotional experience. RAs are a great resource for a little extra support or to remind them about other resources available on campus.

Academics are Important—but so is rest and recuperation!

One of the things we see most consistently with our dedicated Zags is a fear of missing class due to illness. Commitment to academics is a great quality, but it is important to stay home and rest when they are not feeling well. This also helps us prevent the spread of illness.

Encourage them to communicate with their professors if they are sick. As long as the student hasn’t missed a lot of class, professors are usually very reasonable about staying out of class when students are ill. They don’t want to get sick, either! If your student still isn’t sure or has concerns regarding missing class, they should reach out to their academic advisor.

Make sure they’re prepared

Everyone gets sick now and then. Make sure your student is prepared with a small supply of basic care necessities, such as a thermometer, tissues, and throat lozenges. Having these items readily available will help when students do become ill.

Send some love!

Parents, friends, and family are such a wonderful support system for our Zags. When they aren’t feeling well, a few words of encouragement go a long way. Consider sending your student a card or a small care package to keep their spirits up.