Kirkwood Community College cuts on-campus nurse

CEDAR RAPIDS - Kirkwood Community College no longer will have a registered nurse working part-time on campus when students return next month for the spring semester.

The nurse previously staffed Kirkwood's Campus Health office, where students can receive first aid, referrals, over-the-counter drugs and vaccines. The office also offers information about substance abuse, nutrition and sexual health.

Next semester, those services still will be available to Kirkwood students but won't be administered by a registered nurse, Kirkwood Vice President of Student Services Jon Buse said in a statement.

'We are not closing Kirkwood's Student Health Services,” Buse said. 'We are making some changes to how students access health services from the college. Just as we have in the past, Kirkwood will still offer many health services and programs to students, including on-campus counseling, flu shots, STD testing, TB testing and drug and alcohol screenings. We will continue to refer students to qualified outside health resources as well.”

The decision to end the part-time nurse position, who was paid $50,000 annually, 'was made primarily due to budget considerations,” the statement said.

More information will be available to students about their campus health resources 'as they return for the spring semester,” Buse said.

Spring courses begin Jan. 16.

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