University Health Services nurses Melissa DeNucci, R.N., and Yolanda Hobin, F.N.P., with medical record and technology assistant Margaret Bligh.
If there鈥檚 one department at Boston College that has the deepest, most up-close insight into the coronavirus pandemic, it鈥檚 University Health Services.
UHS had its eye on the virus well before COVID-19 began attracting media and public attention, increasing its vigilance and readiness as the outbreak began to proliferate. And UHS was at the forefront of the University鈥檚 battle against the disease when it came to campus.
Although an unprecedented event in many respects, the coronavirus crisis has shined a light on the special challenges of being a health care provider in a major university setting. For 亚色影库鈥檚 University Health Services personnel, the first months of 2020 tested not only their collective professional skills, but also their ability to adapt to fast-changing circumstances, collaborate with other 亚色影库 offices and departments, and deliver different levels of care as necessary in an atmosphere of considerable anxiety about the threat of COVID-19.
The period of March 16, when UHS began testing for coronavirus, through April 22 offers a snapshot of the department鈥檚 activity. During this time, the department recorded 151 patient COVID-related contacts鈥攂y phone, telehealth sessions, or in-person visits鈥�61 of which resulted in 鈥渦nique鈥� COVID-19 visits and evaluations. UHS administered 31 coronavirus tests on students living on or off campus; 17 of these were positive. 聽
Such numbers barely hint at the day-in/week-out assortment of tasks and procedures that have made up the UHS effort against the coronavirus, even while continuing to meet students鈥� other health-related needs.
鈥淚 think Health Services has performed exceptionally well,鈥� said UHS Director Thomas Nary, MD, in a recent interview. 鈥淲e鈥檝e gone by all the guidelines for health care workers as we鈥檝e provided care to students who鈥檝e needed it, and there have only been a few instances where someone had to miss a shift. Everybody showed up and did their jobs.鈥�
Health and college life
A college campus is a unique place to be a health care professional, according to UHS staff: The community you serve is largely between the ages of 18 and 22, most of its members are unused to being responsible for their health care鈥攎any have never even gone to see a doctor on their own鈥攁nd while generally very healthy, they don鈥檛 always make the best decisions on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. What鈥檚 more, the thousands in this community tend to live and socialize in close quarters, whether on or off campus, and at various times of the academic year may be in another part of the country, or the world.
But ask Caroline Faherty, a registered nurse who鈥檚 been at UHS for almost 14 years, how she likes the job, and she is happy to tell you.
鈥淚 love working with the students,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou get to see many of them over the course of four years, and you can definitely create a bond with them. It鈥檚 great to see them learning how to take care of and advocate for themselves, how to use resources, and manage their care.鈥�
Theresa Barba, a 30-year veteran of 亚色影库 Health Services鈥攚hose mother was the nurse manager when the facility was on Newton Campus鈥攁grees with her fellow registered nurse.
鈥淭his age group has a lot to offer,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all very bright, very eager to make their own way, and we try to give them the tools to lead healthy lives, whether through our health education programs or if they should happen to visit our primary care center.鈥�