By: Ashley Bergner
2/15/2007

Though most students on campus don’t wish for headaches, sore throats or coughs, if they happen to catch an illness, nurse Sue Lucas will be there to help.

Lucas will serve as the new part-time health and wellness coordinator at Friends University. Her first day at Friends was Jan. 29, and she is replacing previous nurse Vickie Carter.

“She is going to set just the right atmosphere to make the health and wellness center a welcoming … place for students,” Carter said.

Lucas graduated from Newman University in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

She was originally a health education major. Then after her sophomore year, she took a break from college and got married. When she decided to continue her education in her late 20s, she pursued a career in nursing because of the many job opportunities she thought the nursing field would offer.

Going back to school was not easy, Lucas said. It was a challenge to balance school and work, plus care for her two children. She believes her education was worth it, however.

Lucas’ first position was working on the diabetic/medical-surgical floor at St. Joseph Hospital. She also worked in the Wesley Rehab Hospital, providing care for patients with physical therapy needs, including stroke patients and those recovering from knee and hip surgery. 

When Lucas saw the advertisement for the position at Friends, she knew it was the job for her. She thought she would enjoy working in a college setting, where she could combine her initial interest in health education with her nursing skills.

Though she has been at Friends for less than a month, she has enjoyed working on campus.

“I really do love it,” she said. “Everybody has been so friendly.”

As part of her job, Lucas will examine students who are ill and treat minor injuries. She will refer students with more serious injuries or illnesses to a doctor. Even if students don’t have medical insurance, Lucas can help them find a doctor. 

Lucas will also educate students about health issues such as meningitis, smoking, mental health and depression. She will meet with students who have a chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma and help them learn how to manage their disease. Outside her office in the lower level of Casado Campus Center, she offers brochures with health safety tips and information on health concerns. 

Lucas will plan programs such as the upcoming Safe Spring Break program March 5-9. The purpose of the week is to educate students on issues such as academic-related stress, alcohol abuse and sexual responsibility. There will be special guests from the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center and the Pregnancy Crisis Center, and free massages will be offered.

Lucas thinks teaching people how to prevent sicknesses is just as important as curing them.

While working as a nurse, Lucas said it was heartbreaking to watch sick patients, especially those who were terminally ill. She thinks it is important to teach people how to live a healthy lifestyle, so they can avoid debilitating diseases.

She believes it is vital for students to make good choices concerning their health.

“The decisions they make will affect them 20, 30 years down the line,” she said.

For example, if students make the choice to drink and drive, they might injure themselves or others.

“They’re going to have to deal with that for the rest of their lives,” Lucas said.

JaTonna Whisler, a 30-year-old freshman at Friends who works for Hospice Care of Kansas, said it’s nice to know there is a nurse on campus. If a student ever has a medical emergency, someone will be there to help, Whisler said.

Lucas’ office hours are from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. In addition to her part-time job at Friends, she is working on a research study on nursing home-acquired pneumonia for the University of Colorado.

Carter, the former health coordinator, has witnessed Lucas’ passion for encouraging healthy living in students, and she believes Lucas is the perfect fit for the job.

Carter left Friends to work full time at InnerWorks Holistic Health Center, which is located 3425 W. Central Ave. in Wichita and offers natural health services such as acupuncture, massage therapy and yoga classes. She used to work part time at InnerWorks while working at Friends but decided it was time for her to devote her full attention to her work at the health center.
Although she will miss working at Friends, Carter knows she is leaving the position in good hands.

“It was very important for me not to hand over that position to just anyone,” she said. “I became more and more convinced that (Lucas) is just the perfect person to be in that nursing position.
“I feel extremely confident and happy that Sue will continue on (my work).”