Preventive Care & Health Screening | Student Health and Wellness

What Is Primary Care?

In medicine, primary care is a term used for a health care provider who acts as a first point of consultation for all patients. Generally, primary care physicians are based in the community, as opposed to the hospital.

Primary Care at SHaW is provided by physicians and nurse practitioners. It refers to a wide variety of services:

Appointments for illness and injury including ordering appropriate lab work, x-rays, prescriptions, physical therapy and other referrals as needed.
Preventive care: routine physicals and immunizations; physicals for study abroad or clinical affiliations.
Gynecological care: routine care including gynecologic exams, infection screening, and reproductive health issues.
Confidential HIV counseling and testing.
Confidential STI counseling and testing.
International screenings and follow-up of positive PPD tests.
Eating disorder support team.
Smoking Cessation.

Nurse Coach Wellness Visit

During the Nurse Coach Wellness Visit, we will create a personalized plan geared towards your specific needs. This evidence-based approach will help you better understand the physical, behavioral, social, and environmental causes that influence your health and well-being. This holistic approach begins the process of developing healthy behaviors, and lays the foundation for life-long health.

There is no additional out-of-pocket expense for this visit.

Health Assessment
Meet with the nurse coach to determine factors that may impact your health.

Biometrics
Measurements of your blood pressure and other vital signs will be reviewed during the visit. Recommendations for additional testing will be referred to a clinician appointment.

Preventive Care
We will review and provide preventive health care such as immunizations for HPV and influenza.

The Nurse Coach
The nurse coach will provide you with the encouragement and motivation needed to achieve personalized health goals.

Plan of Care
A personalized plan for improving your health and well-being will be developed and will include ways to sustain healthy behavior change.

The initial appointment takes 40 minutes dedicated to your individual needs.

To make an appointment, please call 860-486-2719

Most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night.A habitual sleep pattern helps the body learn what time to relax and what time to be alert. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.

Sleep & Studying

How much sleep you get can affect how your study session goes. Sleep is when we consolidate what we have learned into memories we can recall.There is no “best time” to study; it depends on when your body is most productive.Just be careful studying doesn’t interfere with the amount of sleep you get.

Tips:

Minimize bright light at night. Avoid using electronics before bed, if possible.
Avoid long naps. 15-30 minutes is the ideal nap length. Longer naps can leave you feeling sluggish and interfere with your ability to sleep at night
Associate your bed with sleep and sex only. Try to do your schoolwork at a desk or table and only utilize your bed for restful and relaxing activities, if possible.
Regular exercise can improve your sleep patterns. Exercising right before bed may make it more difficult to fall asleep.

Stress is a normal part of everyone’s life. Stress is how the brain and body respond to any demand. Every type of demand or stressor(i.e.exercise, work, school, major life changes, or traumatic events)can be stressful.You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts. Even positive life changes, such as a getting the internship you want, produces stress.

Stress Reduction Techniques:

Mindfulness based practice is an evidence-based way to cope with stress and anxiety. Mindfulness can be defined as “maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment.” It is important to note that most of us will never be mindful 100% of the time, and that this is not the goal. Instead, engaging in a daily mindful practice, whether that is yoga, meditation, deep breathing, nature walks, or stretching can help lead you towards a path of reduced anxiety, better sleep, and heightened energy.  

Physical activity has been shown to improve both physical and mental health. Physical activity reduces the body's stress hormone levels, and stimulates the production of endorphins. Endorphins can produce the feeling of relaxation and optimism. Regular activity can decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem.

Social connection can help us manage stress and improve our overall wellbeing. Benefits of social connection include: improves one’s ability to cope with stressful situations, promotes good mental health, enhances self-esteem, and promotes healthy lifestyle behaviors.