Shortly after Camille Childers began her duties as the new director of Student Health Services at Wichita State University, the news broke that a WSU student had tested positive for tuberculosis.

Childers, an RN with more than 25 years of health care experience in hospitals and schools, was impressed by how university departments collaborated to meet the student’s needs and maintained confidentiality.

When she first heard about the opening at Student Health, she knew the job would have to be “the right fit” for her to relocate from Omaha.

“When I saw this job, it was something I’d always wanted to do,” Childers said.

During her interview, she was impressed by the energy and activity on campus and how many people wanted to learn.

“A nurse always educates. Doing this, we can focus not only on serving patients’ medical needs, but on teaching them to be responsible adults in a medical sense,” she said.

Administrative role

Childers is primarily an administrator, but she might occasionally see patients as she settles into her new position.

She said that during the short time she has been at WSU, some patients, even some administrators, have asked her whether Student Health Services is part of the College of Health Professions.

Childers wants patients to know that Student Health is not a teaching clinic and has no connection to the College of Health Professions other than location.

She is concerned that some patients may worry they might be seen by a student. Patients at Student Health, in 209 Ahlberg Hall, are seen by registered nurses, nurse practitioners or physicians.

“All of the staff (at Student Health Services) are medical professionals. When you come here, you won’t be seen by a student,” she said.

Childers doesn’t want patients to be worried about confidentially either.

Student Health Services is bound not only by HIPAA, a national standard for privacy of health information established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, but also by FERPA, a federal law that protects the privacy of student records.

“When you come here and talk to someone, it’s confidential,” Childers said.

Streamlining services

Student Health Services also works closely with the WSU Counseling and Testing Center and has a counselor at Student Health Services once a week.

Childers wants Student Health to grow so it can offer as much as possible to students and become more streamlined and efficient. Eventually, Childers hopes to implement online resources for students, such as appointment scheduling or a place to ask health care questions.

Student Health Services has already begun a new service intended to help students with face-to-face questions.

Every Monday (excluding some holidays) from 4-6 p.m. in the Fairmount Towers private dining room, a nurse practitioner from Student Health will be available to answer questions about any health problem.

“Health care can be a confusing thing unless you work in health care,” Childers said. “I want to educate people on how to take care of themselves.”