Health & Welfare

Staying in good physical and mental shape is of great importance for every student in higher education; catching up on a truckload of work that is due after a period of illness is nobody’s idea of fun. Students can be particularly vulnerable to health problems for a variety of reasons, from lack of financial resources in seeking help for a physical ailment to the emotional stresses and strains that can come with living away from home for the first time.

For this reason, the most Irish colleges provide a health service of some kind to their full-time students. Whenever the medical service (e.g. dentist, optician, GP) required is not available on campus, the doctor, nurse or counselor of the institution in question will direct the student to the nearest local provider, who will often apply a student discount.

The college nurse is usually based on a full-time basis on campus. The service is often free and does not usually involve making an appointment. Besides treating students for minor ailments, the nurse’s role often involves the promotion of a healthy lifestyle among the student population. This can involve giving advice on sexual health matters, helping with smoking cessation and in some institutions the promotion of health campaigns such as against excessive drinking. Many of the health services in Ireland’s higher education institutes are focused toward health education and preventive medicine.

For medical issues of a more serious nature many colleges have a doctor who visits for several hours a week. This is generally an appointment-based service that usually involves a small fee of about €10. Students with health conditions, such as epilepsy or diabetes, would be well-advised to contact the student health office of their chosen course provider in advance. This way the student can help the nurse ensure care will be available if and when required. The contact details for the student health service in most Irish colleges and universities can be found here.

Counselling facilities are now an integral part of the student support facilities of most colleges in Ireland. Instead of rattling off the huge list of anguishes and worries that student counsellors help with, the most important thing any prospective student needs to understand regarding this service is that the counsellor is on hand to help with any problem a student wants to discuss in confidence.

Many students might feel their problem is ‘too small’ to seek help over, however this is usually the best tine to pay a visit as the issue can be identified and dealt with before it becomes a major problem. A student should never feel in anyway strange or sheepish when visiting a counsellor; one major Irish University estimates a quarter of its students use the service annually.

Please note that any service provided by a nurse, doctor or counsellor on any campus in Ireland is fully confidential. So you won’t have to worry about explaining every bump and bruise to the parents!

And last but not least, what you have all being waiting for, a bit of sensible advice! Here are a few tips to help maintain your health and well-being while living the student life:

• A healthy and varied diet.
• At least 6 to eight hours sleep a night.
• Make use of college sporting facilities and services in keeping physically active.
• A measured and responsible approach to alcohol consumption.