Counselling & Personal Development

Some Student Experiences

“I have suffered with anxiety for many years and never thought to go to counselling until a roommate told me about his experience. Without the help of my counsellor, I don't know where I would be today. Counselling was the crutch I needed during a very dark time in my life and has helped me in so many ways. Without sounding cliché, it literally did change my life and my education has really seen the benefit too. I successfully passed my six repeat exams and I feel ready and motivated to work hard this year."  Third-year undergraduate student.

"Counselling really helped me when I was in a bad place emotionally. It gave me coping mechanisms to feel better and helped me deal with my problems. I have been able to get my anxiety under control and to lessen the chronic tension headaches I have been suffering from. As a result, I have been able to complete my PhD write-up." Postgraduate student.

“I experienced some dramatic problems last year and would have had a dramatically poorer outcome had counselling not been available” Second-year undergraduate student.

The Counselling and Personal Development Service, Dublin City University.   https://www.dcu.ie/counselling

Health & Safety

It is important that while you are on campus you cooperate with the Security and Fire Warden Teams if an alarm sounds. In addition, you need to let the Health & Safety office know if you have an accident on campus, near miss or if you have any particular safety concerns. First Aid assistance is available in all of the campus buildings – look out for notices in the building foyer.

24 Hour DCU Emergency  - T+ 353 1 700 5999

DCU Contact

Health & Safety Office

E:  safety@dcu.ie

W:  www.dcu.ie/safety

T:  01 700 8678

Report an Incident/Accident/Near Miss

https://www.dcu.ie/safety/report-accidentincidentsafety-concern

Safezone App 

Students should download the safezone app from wherever you get your apps. All you need is your student number. The app is a great tool in getting quick security, medical or safety assistance via your mobile phone. Safezone is compulsory for some campus activities such as overnight field trips. For more information FAQ’s can be found here - https://www.dcu.ie/ocoo/safezone-dcu-faqs 

Health Service

The Student Health Service is a Nurse-led, service providing on-campus primary healthcare to currently registered students of DCU.  We have a GP on site Monday - Thursday. The Student Health Service aims to provide students with quality primary health care which is delivered in a caring, compassionate and confidential manner.

Services available on Glasnevin and St Patrick’s Campuses include:

• Nurse/Doctor Consultations
• Medical attention for all students who feel unwell or become ill on campus during normal working hours including emergency call-outs when necessary. An ambulance should be called on  999/112 outside these hours or for emergencies
• Sexual Health - Contraception/Family Planning/STI screening
• Mental Health Support
• Health Promotion
• Phlebotomy (blood tests)
• Dressing Clinic / Suture removal
• Ear Irrigation
• Hepatitis B Vaccination Clinic / B 12 / Depo Injections
• Medical Certificates
• Referral, on request or where deemed appropriate to any services such as Student Counselling or services externally to DCU
• Advice or support on any Health or Personal matter

Doctors’ Clinics: The Health Service provides students with a GP medical service during the academic year. This service is an ‘addition’ to the student’s own family doctor or specialist medical services and not a replacement.

All GP consultations/appointments are booked over the phone or by email. Our admin team will book an appointment for you to see to both the Nurse and the GP Our number/email is on our website. Appointments will be in person. 

Nurses Consultations: Consultations can be booked by phone or email.  You will be given an appointment to attend the clinic to see the Nurse in the health clinic. 

Opening Hours during the semester for either campus - go to www.dcu.ie/health

Vaccines:   Important Information: 

Please see your family GP or register with the HSE portal to ensure you get your Covid-19 vaccine before you start college. 

Important:

Please make sure you are up to date with your MMR Vaccines and Meningitis C Vaccine before you come to college. If you have not had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine you should attend your family GP before you come to college to make sure you're protected against Mumps, Measles, Rubella. If you notice a swelling in your cheek or jaw line you should attend your GP for review during the semester.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine are required to protect against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella. All students should have had these as a baby and a booster dose at age 4-5 years. Your parents/ GP or HSE should have the records of all vaccines given.

The Meningitis C Vaccine was introduced in the year 2000 and a booster dose has been given in secondary schools over the past number of years. Anyone under the age of 23 who has not had the Meningitis C Vaccine, should receive one dose of the vaccine before they come to college. The Meningitis B vaccine has been given to new babies in Ireland since 2016 and the MenACWY is now given to all secondary students in first-year starting in 2019. 

 https://www.meningitis.org/

The Flu Vaccine

The flu vaccine will be available in the DCU Pharmacy for all those who require it.

Urgent Appointments: If your problem is urgent, please call the Health Centre before 10 am or request to speak to the nurse on the phone.  Should you need immediate medical attention by a nurse on campus during normal office hours, please dial 

Glasnevin Campus: +353 1 700 5766 

St Patrick’s Campus: + 353 1 700 9215

For Out-of-hours emergencies please ring an Ambulance directly yourself or ask one of your friends to do it - 999/112. The Emergency personnel will stay on the phone with you to get a history of the incident and also to support you or while you are with the person who is unwell.

Please ring Security -  to let them know you or someone else is unwell. Give them details of your address on campus and also tell them that an Ambulance is on the way.  Security will direct the ambulance to you on site.  

A bystander can do this for you. Security will provide support and guidance in the event of an emergency. 

Security (Glasnevin & St Patrick’s Campus)                                      

T: +353 1 700 5999                            

Mental Health

Many of you will have heard the phrase ‘Your Health Is Your Wealth’. There is no time like your time at university when this phrase is more important. Sometimes you may feel unhappy, worried and/or experience stress or anxiety- all of which are normal emotions. However if you feel any of these on an ongoing basis, they may contribute to life becoming unbalanced and it is always best to seek help immediately. Your Mental Health is important and there are many people who can listen, advise, guide and help you through whatever you are going through. It is possible to see the light at the end of the tunnel and the advice from DCU is to ‘PLEASE TALK’!   Talk even when you don’t want to talk - to somebody.  There are plenty of people i.e The Students Union/Counselling and Personal Development/Student Health Centre in DCU who can support and advise you.  There are solutions to every problem. Bottling things up can make everything feel much worse. And please don’t leave it until you are in a full blown crisis to reach out. The sooner you reach out the sooner we can try and help you - studies, personal issues, college life, whatever it is we can engage and encourage you to do your best and also find a manageable way to do it, along with ways to cope and thrive. 

To help you settle in:

Please attend classes from the beginning. This is your number one priority. It will help you get into the flow of college life and get you into a routine which is very important. The importance of routine cannot be overemphasised. 

Get involved in activities that will allow you to meet new people and make new friends. You can expect to meet new people at the Clubs and Soc’s events and meet people with similar interests as you.  

Learn how to cook and look after yourself before you arrive.  Have a few simple nutritious meals in your mind that you can prepare quickly. Your food is your fuel and is vital in keeping you well and as a protection against flus and colds. If your diet is mainly made of fast food on the run, then you will run out of energy and motivation very quickly. A balanced whole food diet full of essential nutrients will sustain you well. This will take a bit of planning and will save you money in the long run. If you are a vegetarian please ensure you take supplementation of B12. Vit D supplementation is essential between October and March. You can get these at any pharmacy. 

Pace yourself for nights out.  This is the first time you will be away from home and it is tempting to stay up all night socialising. Don’t let your college life slip.  This will cause you stress and anxiety and affect your studies. The college academic programme is fast-paced and intense, so keeping up will enable you to stay in control and feel like you are accomplishing something in your own right.

Ask for help if you feel out of your depth.  There are lots of people in Student advice to help and direct you to the right service. Don’t suffer in silence if you feel things are going badly. We are here to help and support you. 

To make an appointment with a counsellor please contact: https://www.dcu.ie/counselling/appointment.shtml

After hours support: https://www.dcu.ie/counselling/afterhours/index.shtml

Further information:

www.dcu.ie/students/counselling

www.niteline.ie

www.jigsaw.ie

www.yourmentalhealth.ie

www.aware.ie/mental+health

Labyrinth

DCU Labyrinth

The labyrinth is an ancient pattern dating back over 4,000 years. It has been passed down through generations and cultures as a form of reflective instrument. Labyrinths are used to quiet the mind, to encourage meditation and self-reflection and to reduce stress. They are open to all people as a nondenominational, cross-cultural path to well-being.  Many confuse the labyrinth with a maze. A maze has many paths, twists and turns and is a puzzle to be solved. A labyrinth has only one entrance and one path to the centre. The way in is the way out. Unlike a maze which is designed to get lost in, a labyrinth helps us find ourselves.  Slowly walking the single path gives enough time to unwind and let go of everyday concerns in order to renew some sense of inner calm, balance and perspective.  The DCU Labyrinth is located in the middle garden of the Mall, behind the ‘Rose Bowl Statue’.

Enjoy your walk!

How to walk the Labyrinth

Pharmacy

The campus pharmacy (Pharmhealth) is based at the centre of DCU Glasnevin Campus opposite the Inter Faith Centre, and it offers all the regular services you would expect plus many more. Open all year round, the pharmacy has gained a reputation as an efficient, friendly and approachable pharmacy.

Pharmhealth Pharmacy dispenses all prescription types including:

• Private prescriptions
• Medical card prescriptions
• Drugs payment scheme
• Long term illness scheme
• Mental Health prescriptions
• GMS dental
• Hospital emergency scheme
• EU national scheme

Note:

All prescription medicines that you have routinely obtained elsewhere can also be dispensed from the college pharmacy at very competitive prices. Please feel free to call in, should you have any queries.

For your convenience, Pharmhealth has an extensive online website, pharmhealth.com where you can browse the vast majority of products available in-store to order for Free ‘Click & Collect’ or nationwide delivery.

There are many healthcare services available remotely including a prescription ordering service, a convenient online doctor service, along with more confidential services including Emergency Contraception (Morning after Pill), Erectile Dysfunction treatment and vaccination booking services.

In the campus store, the pharmacy also stocks a large range of alternative & complementary medicines, health foods, first aid & injury supports, skincare products and cosmetics. The staff are here to provide advice and guidance to suit your individual needs. There is also the facility to take payment for household bills (Gas, Electricity, Motorway Toll, Phone etc).

Pharmhealth also has a Digital and Photo department within the pharmacy where it offers the following services in-store:

• Up to A0 and bigger Conference/Poster Prints
• Banner stands
• Photo Prints (standard 6”x4” up to A0 sizes)
• Print directly from smartphone using Kodak moments app.
• Passport & J1 Visa Further information
• Photo books
• Canvas Prints
• Calendars
• Stock Photo & Bespoke Custom Made Frames
• Jersey Framing
• Acrylic Mounting
• Substrate Mounting

Loyalty Card: The pharmacy operates a loyalty card scheme to show their appreciation to their regular students and customers.

For further information please contact:

Pharmhealth

T: + 353 1 700 6080

Email: info@pharmhealth.com

Facebook: Pharmhealth Pharmacy

Twitter: @pharmhealth

Web: pharmhealth.com