Campus-held events are generally thought to be safe for everyone. Although Point Park is located in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh we have the right to feel safe in its parameters. The university itself promotes the message of providing care for its students. For me, this was not the case on Labor Day, Sept. 2, around 5 to 6 p.m.
I was in Village Park during the Pioneer Picnic. Everything was going well that evening: the weather was perfect, warm and breezy. It was a beautiful day to reconnect with friends I hadn’t seen since last year while enjoying a meal together.
Yet, while I was being introduced to a group of people by my friend, a honey bee stung me through my pants.
I, of course, was frightened. What happened didn’t register to me until I realized that the sharp pain was not going away. That’s when I remembered that people can be deathly allergic to bees. I began to panic. I had no idea if it would swell up or not.
Thankfully my friend was there with me on Labor Day of all days.
Our first idea was to go visit the health center. Yet, to our dismay, it was closed for the holiday which I can understand. As one of the only full-time medical staff, nurse Rebecca Harper needs a break too.
After this, we resorted to asking a CAB member if they knew where urgent care was Downtown.
Not one of them had a single clue.
My friend and I scrambled all throughout Downtown that day trying to find at least one place that could have checked the sting. We couldn’t find anywhere open or close enough for walking distance. The CVS pharmacy was closed. Places like AHN and many other facilities were also either down for the holiday or were not within walking distance.
Fortunately, I later learned that I wasn’t allergic, which I came to terms with after a reasonable amount of time passed.
It made me think: What if I actually was allergic? What if someone else was actually allergic? Forget bee stings. What if someone just got seriously injured that day?
For the future, I believe that all campus-held events need to have medically trained or medically informed individuals present. Once again, I understand that the health center cannot be open at all times, as Nurse Harper is only human. Yet if we can’t have 24/7 medical staff, then each year the pioneer ambassadors, residential educators and a few CAB members should at least go through some form of medical training. Similarly, information or directions to AHN, Urgent Care at Shadyside and other facilities should be more available to students around campus. That way, rather than scrambling to Google them, students are more likely to have the information accessible and don’t need to waste time going somewhere that’s closed. Especially if it’s a holiday.
Things can happen anywhere, anytime, any day. All Point Park students deserve to have medical information more physically accessible on campus, even on holidays.