Creating a Health Culture on Campus

Creating+a+Health+Culture+on+Campus

Cheryl Amelia, Staff Writer
May 12, 2023

Staying healthy in college is no easy task. Nearly every student would have pulled an all-nighter at least once within their college years. The International Community Health Services (ICHS) held a staying healthy workshop on May 2 in the PUB’s Quiet Dining Room.

The workshop was presented by experienced nurse practitioners from the ICHS clinic which presented various materials about which over the counter drugs are most commonly consumed for migraines, constipation, allergies, a mild flu or cough. These instructions included an exercise on how to read the ingredients on a medication label. The student attendees were most intrigued about knowing the various ingredients within those daily medications.

The workshop moved on to the second phase, which is how you balance exercise, nutrition, homework, fun and sleep. The nurses took turns providing their old experiences on how to balance getting work done, while still integrating fun by exercise or cooking nutritious food.

“It is really hard to do all of the things you are required to do and finding ways to prioritize yourself and your wellness, in particular like sleep and a healthy diet it is worth it to take some time to prioritize those things. It will help you be a better student,” said Meghan Oakes, a nurse from the ICHS clinic.

“Mental Health is important for everybody. It is important to be able to handle all these new things. It is very important to recognize those feelings and seek help,” said another nurse, Candice Xia. ICHS does provide mental health councils. SCC also provides mental health counseling.

How does International Student Insurance work?

After covering the basics, the students’ most awaited question came around, insurance. It varies on how much you are covered. ICHS nurse Edna Tang explained the basics of making an appointment.

“You would just come in to ask for an appointment. Right now ICHS Appointment availability is quite good, they might need your insurance card or ID to get you to sign up with the care you need,” said Tang. According to Tang, clinics would mention to you if your insurance does not cover your treatment beforehand. Ask if your insurance covers it when making the appointment would be better for both parties.

ICHS nurses also explained the types of health care provided in various clinics near SCC:

Primary care: for less urgent matters, less expensive.
Urgent Care: not life-threatening but urgent, open for longer hours, a bit more expensive than primary care.
Emergency Care: life-threatening, for real emergencies.

“ICHS is a federally qualified health center, even if patients don’t have insurance, ICHS would provide more affordable healthcare,” said nurse practitioner Jacquiline Vera. ICHS is among many who accept Lewer Mark’s International Students Insurance. Below are several more clinics near SCC that were recommended in the presentation.

Clinics near Shoreline Community College:

International Community Health Services (Home | International Community Health Services , ICHS | Seattle)
16549 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, Wa 98133 (Phone:(206) 533-2600 )

The Everett Clinic at Shoreline (www.everettclinic.com)
1201 N 175th St, Shoreline, WA 98133 (Phone: (206) 401-3128)

Zoom Care (Shoreline | ZoomCare | Better Care, Faster)
15911 Westminster Way N., Shoreline, WA 98133 (Phone: (503) 684-8252)

Swedish Richmond Beach Primary Care (Swedish Richmond Beach Primary Care | Swedish Medical Center Seattle and Issaquah)
604 NW Richmond Beach Road Shoreline, WA 98177 (Phone: 206-533-2900)

This workshop gave students the opportunity to interact closely with professionals in order to take care of themselves more sufficiently. Oakes mentioned that, “We are currently working on a sexual health video format or some digital way of connecting you guys with information.”

Students who came were satisfied to have their questions answered. Many came to seek guidance because they had been feverish and would like to know what precautions they should take instead of powering through their illness, as well as preventative measures to stay healthy.

A billionaire’s most valuable thing in life would be their health. As college students, our grades would be meaningless without the existence of our health.