2008 Woodie Awards
Student responds to 'Asthma scare sparks concerns about student healthcare'
Letters to the Editor
Michael Golden
Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
I am writing you in regards to an article I read in the Cauldron about an asthmatic student who suffered a serious of frightening attacks.
In the same issue I also noticed that Houston Fire Department has been called several times to the campus of St. Thomas. I believe the article even points out a few of these instances.
I am a student at St. Thomas, however I am also a Paramedic for the City of South Houston. Hearing that no one employed on campus is trained hire than first aid & CPR I was alarmed.
It is a shame that a private university with the stature and nobility of St. Thomas lacks the ability to care for its students and staff in a medical emergency.
More alarming is the fact that a few of these instances of medical emergencies occurred while I was on campus.
The article speaks of the university once having a nurse on staff; however I do not feel that simply staffing a nurse would be the best for the care of students, faculty, and visitors who might experience a medical emergency.
I think that a student staff first responder service, led by the campus security department would be worth looking into. In fact you might be surprised at just how many of us on campus are already trained as EMTs and Paramedics. Rice University has developed such system over the past few years and has been nationally recognized for doing this.
Texas A&M while larger than UST and Rice, created their own EMS system which has also been recognized around the nation for its success.
When I think of safety, I think of more than just protection against crime. I feel many among the student body, staff, and faculty would feel safer knowing there is someone that can be there.
Take into consideration that many of our UST community are aging, and more and more we are seeing the younger generations developing serious medical problems.
I would like to discuss the possibility of bringing such a valuable service to our campus. A program like this has done wonders for Rice, and I see no reason why something like this should not be considered for St. Thomas.
Here is a link to Rice EMS: http://rems.rice.edu/index.php
Sincerely,
Nathaniel Jung,
junior business major
Editor's Note: Letters to the editor should be sent to the Cauldron by e-mail to ustcauldron@hotmail.com. Letters must be signed and include the writer's classification and major, if applicable.
"Letters to the Editor" are not edited for style, spelling or grammatical errors.
All letters must be 400 words or less. The Cauldron
reserves the right to edit letters for length.
In the same issue I also noticed that Houston Fire Department has been called several times to the campus of St. Thomas. I believe the article even points out a few of these instances.
I am a student at St. Thomas, however I am also a Paramedic for the City of South Houston. Hearing that no one employed on campus is trained hire than first aid & CPR I was alarmed.
It is a shame that a private university with the stature and nobility of St. Thomas lacks the ability to care for its students and staff in a medical emergency.
More alarming is the fact that a few of these instances of medical emergencies occurred while I was on campus.
The article speaks of the university once having a nurse on staff; however I do not feel that simply staffing a nurse would be the best for the care of students, faculty, and visitors who might experience a medical emergency.
I think that a student staff first responder service, led by the campus security department would be worth looking into. In fact you might be surprised at just how many of us on campus are already trained as EMTs and Paramedics. Rice University has developed such system over the past few years and has been nationally recognized for doing this.
Texas A&M while larger than UST and Rice, created their own EMS system which has also been recognized around the nation for its success.
When I think of safety, I think of more than just protection against crime. I feel many among the student body, staff, and faculty would feel safer knowing there is someone that can be there.
Take into consideration that many of our UST community are aging, and more and more we are seeing the younger generations developing serious medical problems.
I would like to discuss the possibility of bringing such a valuable service to our campus. A program like this has done wonders for Rice, and I see no reason why something like this should not be considered for St. Thomas.
Here is a link to Rice EMS: http://rems.rice.edu/index.php
Sincerely,
Nathaniel Jung,
junior business major
Editor's Note: Letters to the editor should be sent to the Cauldron by e-mail to ustcauldron@hotmail.com. Letters must be signed and include the writer's classification and major, if applicable.
"Letters to the Editor" are not edited for style, spelling or grammatical errors.
All letters must be 400 words or less. The Cauldron
reserves the right to edit letters for length.