Parents Guide

Make sure your student submits all necessary immunization records.  Student Health is required to withdraw students who do not comply with the state law.  Visit our Enrollment Requirements page for more information.

The Parental Consent for Treatment of Student Under 18-Years form  is required and must be on file for any student under 18 years of age. Please sign and return the form to Student Health Service.  Please be sure to include your student's name and ECU Banner number on the form. 

You may return the form by fax to (252) 328-0462.  You may also mail it to us at the address below, or if you are going to be on campus, stop by our front desk or utilize the drop box next to our front door.

Mailing address:  Student Health Services
                            1000 East 5th Street
                            Greenville, NC  27858

Parents often have lots of questions regarding billing, payment, what the Student Health fee covers and does not cover, and insurance coverage.  Visit our Fees and Charges page for an overview and our Student Health Insurance page for answers about mandatory health insurance, the Student Health Insurance Plan, and how to waive out or enroll in coverage.

Students should keep a list of their current medications as well as any known allergies.  A good idea is to create and print a wallet card  for them to keep on them at all times.  Need a template for a health information wallet card?  Visit http://www.medids.com/free-id.php.

Insurance information is important to know as well; many students do not know their insurance carrier or any basic information about how to use their policy.  Make sure they have a basic understanding of their coverage and that they possess a copy of their insurance card.

While Student Health offers a variety of over the counter items for purchase, we strongly recommend that students keep some basic health care supplies on hand.  A good “first aid kit” would include:

• Digital thermometer
• Bandaids, topical antibiotic ointment
• Pain reliever (Tylenol or ibuprofen)
• Over the counter medications for minor illness symptoms such as upset stomach, cough, sore throat, and runny nose
• Gatorade/bottled water
• Soup or other easy to make meal
• Cleaning wipes, for sanitizing commonly used surfaces like door knobs, keyboards and telephones

Encourage your student to get an annual flu shot.  Influenza spreads quickly on college campuses and vaccination is the best way students can protect themselves.  Many students will not readily get a flu shot without some nudging from parents.  Student Health offers a number of on campus flu clinics in the fall months, both at the health center and out on campus.  We also can give the flu shot by appointment.  Encourage your student to look for a clinic on our website or call to find out when we will be offering flu shots.

The meningitis vaccine, while not required for enrollment, is strongly advised particularly for freshmen and students living in residence halls.  Meningitis can be life altering or even fatal; although rare, cases can spread quickly and the results can be devastating.  Student Health offers meningitis vaccines year round by appointment or you may prefer to have your student vaccinated at your home physician’s office prior to coming to campus.

Encourage students to practice good hygiene practices to help control germs and keep themselves healthy.  College environments can provide for easy transmission of many viral, bacterial, and other communicable diseases such as flu, colds, staph infections (MRSA), noroviruses (e.g. “stomach flu”), scabies infestations, and many others.  Often, the best prevention for these types of problems is through good hand washing, avoidance of shared utensils/cups/towels/linens, and cleaning of commonly touched surfaces.

Many parents ask about what options are open to students who may need medical care when Student Health is not open; below are several options students have, depending on the severity of their issue.  

• Emergencies: any true emergency situation should be handled by calling 911.  Emergency responders will transport to the emergency department at Vidant Medical Center, Greenville’s local hospital located just a few miles from ECU.
  
  
• Local urgent care centers: if a student feels they cannot wait for Student Health to open, several Greenville area urgent care facilities may be available with evening and weekend hours.  Visit the links below to find out their hours, location, and contact numbers:
  
  • Physicians East Urgent Care
  • MedDirect
  • Carolina Quick Care
  • Greenville Express Care PA
    

• Free, 24hr nurse line: this is a free service for students to call to ask questions about a health issue or to receive advice on a medical problem.  By calling our regular telephone number, (252) 328-6841, students will be connected with a Registered Nurse who will talk with them and provide advice and treatment recommendations based on established, published triage guidelines.  This service is available 365 days a year, anytime Student Health is closed.
  
  
• Self care information: while we recognize that there is a lot of health information available online, we provide students with advice on minor issues that is concise and easy to access by visiting our self care information page.
  

Students often come to Student Health seeking an excuse for a missed class or assignment.  Per the University catalog, Student Health does not provide class excuses. 

Occasionally a situation develops with a student where they are unable to complete coursework due to a medical issue.  Student Health provides information regarding medical drops and withdrawals on our Administrative Visits page.

Student Health Service does not provide transportation for students.  This includes transportation to and from medical appointments, to any off campus locations, or to and from class.  

If a student calls from a residence hall or apartment and feels too sick to walk, drive, or take a bus to the Student Health Center, we will advise the student to have a friend help transport them or they will need to call 911.  Our nurses and providers cannot go to students’ living spaces to evaluate their condition.

If your student has a disability, please visit Disability Support Services for more information on how they can help with accommodations. 

If a short term situation arises, such as an acute injury or other condition which requires temporary mobility concerns, contact the Dean of Students Office at (252) 328-9297; they may be able to coordinate with ECU Transit to help students get around campus easier.

Parking at the health center is very limited and is controlled by the university’s parking and traffic office.  We do have several designated spaces marked “Urgent Care Parking” that students may utilize during their visit to the health center; they must obtain a temporary parking permit from our front office staff when they arrive. 

Students are encouraged to walk or take ECU transportation if possible and lack of parking spaces is not a valid reason for missed or late appointments. 

Student Health is not responsible for any fees incurred by a student for parking tickets or towing fees.

• All students are asked to arrive 15-30 minutes early to allow for registration and any necessary nurse assessment prior to seeing the provider.
  
• A valid ECU 1Card is REQUIRED for all visits to the Student Health Service. 
  
• Any student arriving 15 minutes late for their scheduled appointment time will be asked to reschedule. 
  
• Students who miss appointments without canceling at least 1 hour in advance will be considered a "no-show/late cancellation" and will be assessed a $20.00 fee to their university account.
  

Worried about your student?  Does he/she have a history of mental health problems?  Concerned about symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress management, substance abuse, or homesickness?  Visit the Center for Counseling and Student Development for more information on the services they provide.

Student Health can write refills for students who are on ADD/ADHD medications.  Students must submit records from their treating physician showing their medical history, confirming their diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, and displaying their medication history with current dosage information; these records must be received by Student Health prior to a student making an appointment for a medication refill. 

Stimulant medications are Class II narcotics and as such, they are tightly regulated by state and federal law.  All students receiving stimulant medications are given the Stimulant Information Sheet upon their initial visit and must abide by Student Health policies in order to receive any refills.

Student Health does not test for ADD/ADHD.

For more information about ADD/ADHD services, visit our General Medical page.

At this time, Student Health does not offer these services.  Many local providers are located in the Greenville area.  If a student needs a list of offices, our front desk personnel can provide a list, or office contact information can be found in the local area phone book.