The Office of Student Health Services, or SHS, on campus remains open to serve the needs of UC Riverside students.
However, patients must now be screened before they enter the clinic to ensure the safety of all patients and staff due to COVID-19
Nichole Sparks, SHS business operations manager, answers a few questions:
On average, how many students visit SHS to get tested for COVID-19 each day?
This varies on the need. We have a single point entry into SHS. ALL students get their temperature checked prior to coming into the building.
How many students visit SHS for non-COVID-19 issues?
We are averaging about 10-20 patients daily for non-Covid-19 issues.
In a typical non-COVID-19 year, how many students would visit SHS around this time of the year? How does that number compare to what you are seeing this year?
March 2019 March 2020
Lab 120 78
Nursing 324 181
Primary Care 940 522
Psychiatry 225 187
Women’s Health 226 170
What particular challenges has the coronavirus imposed on SHS? And how is SHS overcoming them?
The main challenges have been changing our workflow in screening all patients prior to entering our clinic in order to ensure safety of all patients and staff. We are also monitoring all employees and healthcare staff every day before we begin our work schedule. We have all worked together to overcome these challenges.
What is your typical day like? How are you balancing other tasks with COVID-19-related ones?
Our typical day includes not only taking care of our patients but collaborations with our campus leadership and partners as we work together to protect our patients and staff.
How are you and your staff finding motivation in these difficult and demanding times?
We all entered medicine to take care of others, and this experience has only solidified our calling to do so.
