Staff member added to deal with increases

As the semester comes to a close, there are papers to be written, exams to be taken and plenty of studying to be done.

With all of this work to do, it can be a burden to become sick. So while some students choose to self-medicate with rest, vitamin C and chicken noodle soup, other students visit the DeWeese Health Center seeking treatment for their various ailments.

“Our volume is up about 10 percent year-to-day,” said Mary Reeves, director of University Health Services. “We’ve added an additional staff member to the triage area for same-day calls and walk-ins.”

The health center has been busier than usual because of the increased number of visits related to swine flu, Reeves said, adding that visits for walk-in appointments have been up slightly more than visits by students with appointments.

“I’ve had a couple of visits, but my most recent one was three weeks ago for my shortness of breath because of a cat allergy,” junior psychology major Katherina Ueberfeld said. “I personally think that the staff is really unfriendly, especially the nurses. They always ask weird questions and if you don’t know the answer, they just give a mean look and ask more weird questions.”

Though Ueberfeld had an unpleasant experience at the health center, Raymond Roberts, sophomore political science major, had a different one.

“It probably took 15 to 20 minutes before I was seen, but I had an appointment,” he said. “The experience was great and the people are very nice there, despite being very busy.”

Ueberfeld said she often feels like she could’ve figured out what was wrong by herself using the Internet.

“I just go there because it is more convenient to get your medicine there,” she said.

The health center offers treatments for students’ illnesses and injuries, a pharmacy and other services to students. More information about the DeWeese Health Center can be found at http://www.kent.edu/uhs.

Contact health reporter Amber Wade at [email protected].