Medical Emergency Procedures
If a student is experiencing a medical emergency, they should call Public Safety and/or 911. If a student is unconscious or unable to respond, 911 should be called first, followed by Public Safety. Public Safety will alert the Campus Nurse to respond to the incident. If the Campus Nurse is not present, Public Safety will assess the situation and respond appropriately. Once appropriate personnel have arrived on scene, the student will be evaluated for the next step of care.
The following are considered medical emergencies:
- Unconsciousness or Unresponsiveness
- Difficulty Breathing or Not Breathing
- Severe Bleeding
- Chest Pain or Pressure
- Signs of Stroke (FAST: Face, Arms, Speech, Time)
- Seizures (first seizure, >5 minutes, or no recovery)
- Head, Neck, or Spine Injury
- Major Trauma or Injury (accidents, falls, crush injuries, penetrating wounds)
- Severe Burns (large areas, face, hands, feet, genitals)
- Suspected Broken Bones with Deformity or Open Fractures
- Poisoning or Overdose (including alcohol poisoning)
- Allergic Reaction with Breathing Difficulty or Swelling (anaphylaxis)
- Drowning or Near-Drowning
- Sudden Severe Abdominal Pain (with vomiting, fever, or shock)
- Signs of Shock (pale, clammy skin, rapid breathing, confusion)
- Childbirth Complications
- Suicidal or Homicidal Behavior
If emergency services determine that treatment is necessary but the student declines care, the student may refuse medical treatment or transport, provided the responding personnel confirm that the refusal is permissible.
Emergency Care/Hospitalization
When it is determined that a student needs to be evaluated further via ER or hospital, the student will be transferred to the appropriate setting. A parent or guardian will be notified by a school official to inform them of the situation. The student will be responsible for providing transportation back to campus once evaluated and released.
The Office of Accessibility Services will reach out to the student professors to let them know that they are currently hospitalized and will be unable to participate in class for a period.
If a student is hospitalized for an extended period, they will be asked to notify the hospital of LBC employees to be utilized for a release of information (ROI). These individuals include the Campus Nurse, the Director of C3, and the Assistant Dean of Student Care. The student may choose whichever individual(s) they would like to receive information and communicate with the hospital on behalf of the student. Once released, the student will need to have a re-entry meeting for follow-up care.
Re-entry Meeting
When a student is released from the hospital or returns to campus after being evaluated by their PCP or a specialist, they will be asked to meet with the Assistant Dean of Student Care to have a re-entry meeting. This meeting will discuss the student’s return to campus life and help connect the student to appropriate resources (counseling, nurse, academic support/accommodations, etc.) for continued success. The student will be asked to complete their Medical Re-Entry Form prior to the meeting. The Assistant Dean of Student Care will follow up with the student to check in on their return to campus life.
On-going medical concerns
A student may have an on-going medical situation that causes them to have multiple episodes throughout a period (week, month, semester). When a student experiences on-going medical situations, the student will be advised to connect with the Campus Nurse to obtain a medical care plan from the student’s physician. The Campus Nurse can also provide a temporary medical care plan until the student receives one from their physician.
Medical Re-Entry Form
When medical episode(s) are beyond the scope of what LBC can feasibly support (frequency, intensity, severity, length of episodes, etc.), LBC may ask the student to be evaluated by their home primary care physician or specialist for their health and safety. The student will be asked to leave campus until they are cleared to come back to campus through the Medical Re-Entry formed filled out by their primary care physician (PCP) or their specialist. A member of the Student Care Team will share the form with the student.
Withdrawal/Planned Return due to Medical Situation(s)
In cases where a student’s medical situation is hindering their ability to successfully complete the semester, the student may be asked to consider withdrawal from the college. The student will be informed of the tuition/room& board refund policy options in consideration of a potential withdrawal. The student will have options for either withdrawal from the college or a Planned Return.
If a student decides to take off one semester, but intends to return during the following term, the student will not need to reapply for Admission but will have advanced standing for registration, communication, and a return to active status. In addition, the student’s LBC email and student account will remain open and active.