1. University Requirements

All students entering the University of Illinois are required by state law to provide evidence of immunity to certain vaccine-preventable diseases. If at all possible, this should be taken care of with a doctor at home BEFORE the student comes to the the IEI.

In the information all new students are sent when they are admitted is a copy of the McKinley Health Center Student Health Report form. This form must be filled out by a doctor . Students are not permitted to register for U of I (or IEI) classes the next semester if they fail to comply with this state law.

Therefore, all new IEI students MUST go to the McKinley Health Center soon after they arrive on campus to do two things:

• have the TB screening
• be sure McKinley has a record of the required immunizations on the Student Health Report form, and that all state health requirements have been met.
  

2. McKinley visit

Where is the McKinley Student Health Center?

It is located on Lincoln Avenue, a few blocks south and east of the Foreign Languages Building. You can walk there from FLB.

During the first week or two of IEI classes, your teacher will probably offer to take you there together. Or you can go by yourself, any afternoon between 1 and 4.

(International students are required to complete their tuberculosis screening at McKinley Health Center -- not in their home countries--, so that test is administered at no charge at the McKinley Health Center.)

(Students who do not have evidence of the required immunizaitons will have to arrange to have them done at their own expense.)

... you should enter by this door, on the NORTH side of the building. Just inside the door you will see an information desk. Turn left there, and you will see the PREVENTIVE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. That is where you want to go.

What should you bring with you to the McKinley Student Health Center?

You will need your student ID card, and three forms ...

... the yellow Health Information form you were sent
... and two forms your teacher will give you:

an additional Medical History Form
and an information sheet for the TB screening

Lillian Kutz: ... health form (from our country) and the medical history form, and the form we filled in class today, which talks about how they're feeling and if they have any ...

What will happen at McKinley?

With your ID and three forms ready, wait in line to speak to a nurse at the Preventive Medicine Department. ... At the desk, the nurses will check your ID card and the three forms you have brought. If you have all of the necessary papers, she will give you back your ID and a yellow information paper about the TB test and ask you to "just have a seat.". She will give you copies of any forms you don't have and ask you to fill out all or part of them right there.

When you are finished, you should sit down, read the information sheet, and wait for your name to be called for the TB test. ..

Nurse: Mary Gonzalez
Maria: Ai, yo!

When you hear your name, follow the nurse.

What happens during the TB test?

A nurse will call you into a smaller room. Don't be nervous!

1. She will fill out and stamp an immunization card for you and explain that you should come back in 2 days to have your test "read."

2. Then she will look through your medical history records and tell you if they are all OK, or if you need to arrange to have other immunizations. (If so, you can make an appointment to have them done at McKinley for a fee, or go to the Public Health Center to have them done at no charge. The nurse will give you a paper explaining these options.)

3. After she takes care of your records, she will give you your TB test. She will put on a rubber glove, .. fill a needle, ... clean a spot on your arm, ... inject the solution just under the skin, ... and cover the area with a bandaid.

Nurse: (Remove) this, take this off, in 20 minutes, do you hear? You may get it wet ... (It's OK. You can take a shower, yes?) You can exercise, OK? Do not scratch it. When ;you return in 2 days, please bring this with you. That's all today. Thank you.

When she says something like "That's all for today. Thank you." you can leave.

(Take the bandaid off in 20 minutes. You can get your arm wet and you can exercise. You CANNOT scratch your arm. Remember to bring your imunization card with you when you come back in 2 days to have the test read.)

After your test:

Remember the nurse's instructions:

Keep your immunization card with other identification documents. This is your personal record to show that you have met the state's requirements and should be allowed to register for classes on the U of I campus. Look at the information recorded there, and make a note of future appointments.

The date you have the TB test done is stamped on the card (in this student's case, it's June 27). Then another date (2 days later) is written in in pencil when you must go back to McKinley to have the TB test read.

This student also has appointments pencilled in for June 29 for 2 other required immunizations.

20 minutes after you have had your TB test, you can take the bandaid off. But remember not to scratch the area. This teacher is asking this student, "When you had the TB test, did it hurt?" What do you think the student answered?

After you've had your test and understand what you should do in the future, you can leave. Be sure to keep all appointments! Some immunizations must be done in two or three stages, so additional dates may be written in your immunization card. Make a note of them. If you have immunizations done at the Public Health Center, be sure to tell McKinley so they can update their records.

On your way out, it would be a good idea to look around a little. Your student health plan entitles you to use this center. If you become familiar with the building, you will know how to begin if you ever need to see a doctor or nurse.

Also remember that there is other health care information in your IEI orientation packet and handbook.

We hope your stay in the IEI will be happy, healthy, and successful!!

Ann Salzmann
Intensive English Institute
University of Illinois