Medical crisis

If you are unsure of what to do, call Campus Safety or the ResLife On-Call Number.

In the event that a student needs transportation to an outside medical treatment facility, our prevailing approach should be one of assistance and support, particularly when students lack appropriate local support from family or friends.

1. First, if a student needs medical attention:

   • From 8am-5pm, Call Calvin Health Services Triage Nurse: 616-526-6187

   • For after-hours, non-emergency first-aid assistance, call campus safety 616-526-6452

   • For after-hours phone consult, Call Blodgett and ask for a nurse: 616-774-7444

     • This may help you determine whether to take the student to Urgent Care or ER

2. In emergency situations: Call Campus Safety Emergency at 616-526-3333 from cell phone. Tell them your name, situation, and your exact location.

In medical-related situations where a trip to the hospital, emergency room, urgent care, or med-center is warranted (as determined by Health Services staff, Campus Safety supervisors, Blodgett nurseline, or Residence Life professional staff):

1. A determination will be made if the situation is acute or serious enough to warrant transportation by ambulance. If an ambulance is called to respond the situation initially, then the ambulance will be the default method of transportation, unless waived by the student and other transportation coordinated by the student.

2. If the situation does not warrant ambulance transportation (and thus is less than acute or serious), an effort will be made by the responding staff to coordinate transportation through family members (if local), friends, roommates, suitemates, RAs or ACs/RDs.

3. Recommend that the student bring their health insurance ID card or obtain (via phone call to parent) their health insurance ID number.

4. When checking into the hospital or urgent care, please recommend that the student add Dr. Champion at Calvin Health Services as one of their primary care physicians. They may also list their family doctor from back home. This will enable Dr. Champion be notified when a student is in the ER or urgent care when the reason for visit is serious. It also allows Health Services to understand the post-hospital expectations and additional care needed.

5. Once the student has arrived at the hospital or med-center, a determination will be made about if or how long the transportation provider should stay (default will be to stay with the student until family arrives or the situation stabilizes).

6. If student is admitted to hospital, encourage the student to contact his/her parents and inform them of the situation. If the student is unable to contact parents, the Res Life professional staff member on-call should contact the parents and inform them of the situation.

7. Before 8am the following day, the staff (RA and/or RD/AC) involved should fill out a Student Care Report.

Note: In serious medical emergencies, always notify the Res Life professional staff member on-call, who can help coordinate care and communication with parents and the chaplain on-call when appropriate. It is not necessary to notify the Res Life Professional staff member on-call when taking a student to Urgent Care.