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Frequently-Asked Questions

Where is Student Health Services located?

Eickhoff Hall 107.

When is Student Health Services’ open?

Mondays through Fridays: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the Fall and Spring semesters. Summer hours are Mondays through Thursdays: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m with limited nurse practitioner availability and eligibility requirements (see Hours).  View after-hours information.

How do I schedule an appointment in Student Health Services?

Most appointments with Student Health Services can be made online using OWL (the Online Wellness Link). If you do not see your appointment reason or would prefer to contact our office, please call 609-771-2889.

Do I need an appointment to be seen in Student Health Services?

Yes. Same-day appointments are usually available for illness. Call early in the day to ensure a same-day appointment. During the cold and flu season, appointments fill up very quickly. To insure that those who need to be seen the same day are given an appointment, patients are prioritized based on the severity of symptoms and the coexistence of chronic illnesses. It is essential for students to provide our office receptionist with accurate information about their illness when calling for an appointment. Appointment slots for physical examinations can book up quickly so call early.

Can I be seen without an appointment in Student Health Services?

No, walk-in service is not available. Students who have an emergency should call 9-1-1 or report to a local urgent care center. However, students who present to Student Health Services with an emergency medical condition will be seen as soon as possible between regularly scheduled appointments.  See Local Hospital and Urgent Care Information.

Is there any charge to be seen in Student Health Services?

Some services do have a charge associated with them. Most office visits are free of charge.  Testing and Medications may have a cost associated with them. Please see our webpage on COST.

I don’t have the TCNJ student health insurance. Can I still be seen?

Yes. Students are eligible to be seen in Student Health Services regardless of health insurance coverage. We do not accept any insurance in our office. Most office visits are free of charge.  Testing and Medications may have a cost associated with them. See COST.

I will be living on campus this year. What self-care items would you recommend I bring?

Your health and prescription insurance information, a thermometer to check for fever ($4 in Student Health Services), COVID-19 Test Kits, acetaminophen (such as Tylenol®), sunscreen, insect repellent, decongestants & cough medicine for colds, and anything else that you use at home. View our list of self care items!

I am traveling to India this January and I think I need some travel vaccinations. Where do I go?

Please schedule a travel health appointment in Student Health Services at least 4-6 weeks before departure. You will be provided with individualized travel health information that is customized to your trip. Our travel health specialists will review your trip itinerary, current and past medical history, and immunization record on file. You will receive recommendations for vaccines, preventative medicine, and food and insect precautions. Our office has most travel vaccinations in stock, or we can have them within a few days. Please note that YELLOW FEVER vaccination is currently NOT available in our office. To locate a Yellow Fever vaccination facility, go to https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/search-for-stamaril-clinics .

How many students actually use Student Health Services?

Over 74% of undergraduate students and 76% of residential students utilize Student Health Services. During a typical academic year, student visits to Student Health Services can total over 3,000.

I never get sick and if I do, I’ll go home to my own doctor.

That is absolutely fine. We find, however, that students begin to feel that a trip home is inconvenient and time-consuming. In addition, you may not feel like traveling. Most importantly, we have the advantage of knowing what infections are circulating on campus and may be in the best position to accurately diagnose your condition. If you think that Student Health Services may be the best option for you, we are happy to help.

Would I be seeing a doctor or a nurse if I go to Student Health Services?

You would be seen by a nurse practitioner or a physician. Both can diagnose, treat, and prescribe.

How are prescriptions handled?

If our healthcare provider during your visit feels you need a prescription they can dispense the medication to you during your appointment if it is a medication we stock in our office. There is a fee for the medication that will be discussed with you at the time of your visit.  You can also choose to have your medication sent to a local pharmacy of your choice. Please see https://health.tcnj.edu/prescription-medicine/ for information about local off-campus pharmacies.

I need regular blood tests because of the type of medicine I’m taking. Can Student Health Services’ draw my blood so I don’t have to go off-campus?

No. Student Health Services is not a commercial laboratory patient service center and we, therefore, cannot draw and process tests ordered by outside healthcare providers.

My doctor has ordered PT (Physical Therapy) for me. Can I get that on campus?

No, Physical therapy services are not available on-campus. Please check with your insurance company for local physical therapy facilities who accept your plan. First year students living in college housing are not permitted to park personal vehicles on campus; however they can apply for a medical exception to this policy. See https://health.tcnj.edu/forms/medical-parking-exceptions-requests/ .

Do you give flu shots?

Yes, there are 2 annual flu shot clinics for the TCNJ campus community each Fall. Students who are unable to attend one of these campus clinics can schedule an appointment for a flu shot in Student Health Services while supplies last.

I live on-campus and I need IV infusions of medicine to treat my medical condition. Can I come to Student Health Services to have this done, or, at least, can the pharmacy send my medicine to you?

No, space is not available in Student Health Services for the delivery of this care AND we cannot accept responsibility for receiving or storing your medicine and supplies. You must make their own private arrangements for the continuation of care that is currently being provided in the home by visiting nurses or family (self-infusions, injections, wound care). Student Health Services does not provide the type of services provided by home-health care nurses. This includes teaching or supervising self-administration of injections or other treatments. Arrangements can be made through local visiting nurse agencies to have a nurse come to your residence hall room to provide service. Those agencies listed locally include:

I live off-campus. Can I still use Student Health Services?

Yes, as long as you are currently taking classes at TCNJ. Make an appointment on OWL.

Can I make an appointment to get my allergy shots in Student Health Services?

No, We do not provide that service. We feel that the safest place for students to receive allergy shots are in an allergist’s office. Please check with your insurance company to find local allergists who accept your insurance. If you will need to bring your car to campus for transportation to these appointments and you receive allergy shots on a weekly or every other week basis, you can apply for permission to park on campus for medical reasons.

Do I have to go by ambulance to the local Emergency Room? Can’t Campus Police take me to the emergency room?

No, TCNJ does NOT provide transportation to medical facilities.

What if I have an emergency medical situation?

If emergency medical care is needed and you are ON-CAMPUS, call 609-771-2345 or 9-1-1 to activate emergency medical services. Find more information about emergencies on our emergencies page.

What hospitals are in the area?

I would rather not go to the emergency room. Is there somewhere else I can go when Student Health Services is closed?

There are several urgent care offices in the area. We have listed them on our Emergency and After-Hours web page. Be sure to call first to check their hours.

Can I keep medicine in my residence hall room?

Yes. Your room is your “home away from home”.

Can Student Health Services store my medicine for me?

No. It is the student’s responsibility to store his/her own medicine.

I receive infusions of the medicine, Remicade. A home health care nurse administers them to me in my residence hall. However the medicine and supplies need to be sent beforehand to campus from a specialty pharmacy. Can I have them sent to Student Health Services?

No. You should make arrangements with the delivery company to receive this package yourself when it arrives. The medicine can be stored in your room in an additional refrigerator (be sure to register with TCNJ’s Accessibility Resource Center to request this room accommodation) and you can purchase a lockbox to secure needles.

What services are not offered in Student Health Services?

Student Health Services provides acute illness and injury care.  Student Health Services does not offer:

  • Onsite x-rays
  • Onsite physical therapy
  • Suturing
  • Post-operative dressing changes and/or wound packing
  • IV therapy
  • Infusion therapy
  • Allergy injections
  • Vitamin B-12 injections
  • Storage of patient medications
  • Administration of patient medications

Do you need to know about the medicine I keep in my room?

No, but we would like to know that you are taking medication. Please make sure you have noted it on your new student medical history form in OWL.

I am a diabetic and take insulin. How do I dispose of used needles and other sharps?

In New Jersey, the regulations governing proper disposal of medical sharps at home also apply to your college residence hall room. The doctor ordering your supplies must provide you with a red rigid container for disposal of these items. Once the container is full, you must return it to your doctor’s office. Your doctor will then issue you another container. Student Health Services is not permitted to dispose of any student’s medical sharps or red rigid containers.

If your Doctors office does not provide you with red rigid syringe disposal container you can purchase them on Amazon.  There are also syringe disposal sites across the state. To locate a site closest to you please visit: https://safeneedledisposal.org/

Please note that improper disposal of syringes or reusable hypodermic needles is regulated by State law. This Statute prohibits any person from discarding disposable or reusable syringes, needles and other sharps in public or private places which are accessible to other persons (including trespassers) without first destroying your needles and syringes, even when you visit other people. Violators of this State law can be fined up to $500,000 and/or imprisoned or both. You can also be sued by someone who was injured by your improper disposal of your needles and other sharps.

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