Supporting healthcare workers on and off campus

By Jenna Munswami

Recently, I have seen the phrase “health is wealth” coming up frequently. Being healthy is something that most people strive for. In this specific instance, I am referring to physical health and wellbeing. Behind all of this are our healthcare workers, but as of late, they are becoming undervalued.

I have seen the process of higher ups disregarding healthcare workers at our own university. Rider used to have three nurses working in the Student Health Center, but recently they have been reduced to only one nurse practitioner.

I reached out to the nurse practitioner on staff for an interview on her experience with everything going on, but she politely declined. There are students, including myself, that are completely baffled by the situation on the staffs’ behalf. According to the university’s website, Rider says that there are over 3,100 undergraduate students. It also says that over half of the students here live on campus. Leaving one nurse practitioner to account for all of those people, excluding the commuter and graduate students who can still access the Student Health Center, is completely unfair.

Earlier in this semester, I went to the Student Health Center when I came down with a cold. As a student who lives on campus and does not have a car on campus, it is really my only option. In past years, doing a walk-in appointment has worked out fine for me. This time, however, I was told that the nurse practitioner was not in that day and the Student Health Center was not seeing anyone at the time. The women at the desk told me budget cuts left them with only one working nurse to see students.

To clarify, I am not angry at any of the staff at the health center. I am angry at the university for making this decision. While I do understand there are changes that had to be made, this should not have been one of them. Students, no matter if they live on campus or not, should not have to worry about whether they can receive medical help that day. Having the Student Health Center be open 24/7 would be more accommodating to everyone, however it is unreasonable to expect a single healthcare provider to do that all on their own. 

Instead, the university should recognize that their students’ health is a priority. We need medical professionals to provide care so that hopefully cold and flu outbreaks across campus can be prevented or at least managed more efficiently. 

We should appreciate everything that the Student Health Center does, like offering a full day of flu shots without needing an appointment. Providing care for sick or injured students is a lot of work; the higher-ups at this school should not have placed that workload onto only one person. 

If you make a visit to the Student Health Center, make an effort to be kind and show your appreciation to the staff. It is the least that we as students can do. If you cannot get an appointment one day, do not direct any malice toward the staff at the Student Health Center because it is not their fault the system is this way now. 

Healthcare workers getting the metaphorical short end of the stick is not just a Rider issue either. It is happening everywhere, including our own government. An Oct. 11 article by The New York Times stated that dozens of employees at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lost their jobs due to federal layoffs. Among these layoffs, there were scientists in offices that addressed concerns such as chronic diseases and global health; the staff of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that discusses health trends and infectious threats, and even Epidemic Intelligence Service officers who respond to outbreaks globally. 

It is so disappointing to have read The New York Times article and learn what was happening. I cannot imagine a world where diseases and health are not managed like they are now. These are people whose entire careers are based on helping citizens everywhere get the help they need. After a pandemic that practically shut down the world not even six years ago, I cannot understand why people are dismissing workers in healthcare professions. 

In light of all of these issues, it is our responsibility to be more understanding. Do not show anger to people in these professions no matter how frustrating it is to receive help; they are likely struggling, too. Support the healthcare workers on Rider’s campus and your local doctors’ offices, as well. Make it known that their jobs are important and that they matter.

Jenna Munswami is a junior communication studies major