Michigan State University Office of Study Abroad Refresher Seminar

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Michigan State UniversityOffice of Study
AbroadRefresher Seminar

• for study abroad program leaders

Panama
Mexico
Australia
Updated April 2009
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Contents

• OSA Health Safety Staff
• Duties of the Health Safety Team
• What to Take Abroad
• 24/7 Intl Assistance Line
• Examples of Emergencies
• 10 Question Self-Quiz

Top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
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OSA Heath Safety Team Members

• Amy Fekete, fekete_at_msu.edu
• cell phones
• tech support
• Julie Friend, friendju_at_msu.edu
• emergency prep response
• judicial records
• liability questions
• Jim Schneider, schne181_at_msu.edu
• programs in developing countries

Plus there are other OSA Staff members with
regional expertise http//studyabroad.msu.edu/cont
act/staff.html
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Goals Prevent, Prepare Respond

• Prevent foreseeable harm
• Prepare for conceivable emergencies by providing
  information, tools and resources
• Respond to needs of parents, students, faculty,
  and staff

Argentina
France
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Leader Resources
Leader handbook on the web at http//studyabroad.
msu.edu/faculty_handbook/index.html
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Available Resources

• Faculty Handbook and Student Handbook
• OSA Faculty Web page
• EPR Seminar Schedule
• Spring Crisis Management Workshop
• Mental Health Workshop
• Travel Warning Policies
• OSAs Parent Page
• The Travel Clinic
• The Counseling Center
• Office of Judicial Affairs
• MSUs 24-7 Emergency Line

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24/7 International Emergency Assistance Line

• To report an emergency or receive immediate
  assistance, call 517-353-3784.This number is
  answered by the Department of Police Public
  Safety. They will take your information and
  contact the most appropriate MSU official to
  address your concerns. This person will call you
  back.

Important If you dont hear back from us in
within 10-15 minutes call DPPS again! We may
be having trouble reaching you!
517-353-3784
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Pre-departure Medical Issues

• You cannot give medical advice to students, but
  if they ask about vaccinations, particularly for
  Africa, Central/South America, Mexico, Russia,
  Eastern Europe, or Southeast Asia, refer them to
  the CDC web site AND the Travel Clinic, or their
  personal physician, especially if they are on
  medication or have current health problems.
• CDC - www.cdc.gov/travel
• However, if your program is located in Australia,
  New Zealand, or Western Europe, tell students
  should visit the Travel Clinic or see their
  personal physician if they
• are not up-to-date on their routine
  immunizations and
• are on any medications or
• have any pre-existing conditions.

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Medical Issues, cont.

• Encourage students at orientation to disclose to
  you any medical conditions that might be
  important for you to know about (such as insect
  or food allergies).
• While students are asked to disclose medications
  and pre-existing conditions on their health
  authorization form, many students fear this
  information will impact their eligibility, and
  therefore do not report this important
  information.

Australia
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Water Safety
Midwest students are generally naive about ocean
currents rip currents undertow etc., and are
at greater risk

• If swimming is a part of your program
• Be certain of students swimming abilities
• Be certain of the location youre taking students
  swimming
• If students intend to swim during free time
• Students have the right to do whatever they want,
  go where ever they want, during their free time
• If there are locations you dont recommend
  students go, say so
• If the students still go to these locations, they
  were at least informed

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Mental Health Study Abroad

• The Counseling Center reports that more students
  are coming to college with mental health
  conditions. The most frequently conditions
  reported on study abroad programs include
• anxiety symptoms and panic attacks
• depression
• self-mutilation
• eating disorders
• chronic alcohol abuse
• prescription drug abuse
• If you have a student whose behavior leads you to
  believe he may have a mental health condition,
  resist the urge to diagnose. Instead, focus on
  disruptive or harmful behaviors, and their impact
  on the learning environment
• Ask students to report if peers behaviors are
  hampering their ability to learn or get the most
  out of their program
• Dealing with distressed students (guidelines)
• http//counseling.msu.edu/forms/faculty_staffguide
  .pdf

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HTH Accident Sickness Policy

• The 08-09 insurance policy covers emergency
  treatment, evacuation and repatriation for
  students AND ALL faculty and program assistants.
• For HTH to coordinate direct payment with the
  local hospital, they must be notified as soon as
  possible upon admission to the facility.
• Call HTH for 24/7 Emergency Assistance at
  610-254-8771, or OSA at 517-353-3784.
• Need facilities referrals? Contact Julie
  (friendju_at_msu.edu) at least 4 weeks prior to
  departure.

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Self-Quiz
Nepal
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Pre-departure Vaccinations

• Question 1
• A student enrolled in your program asks what
  vaccinations they should get prior to departure
  for their program in Bangkok, and whether or not
  they should get malaria prophylaxis for their
  after-program backpacking trip in Vietnam. How
  do you reply?

Vietnam
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Question 1 Answer

• Students may obtain general information regarding
  required and recommended vaccinations from the
  CDC web site. However, because vaccination
  choice and/or needs are related to ones personal
  health history, you must refrain from providing
  any medical advice.
• Therefore, Beth Alexander, University Physician,
  asks you to refer students with such questions to
  the Travel Clinic.
• Students should also be reminded that the Travel
  Clinic gets very busy in the spring, so students
  who expect to need vaccinations should not delay
  in making an appointment.
• The Student Handbook and the OSA website Student
  Page provide reference information for the Travel
  Clinic.
• http//www.travelclinic.msu.edu
• http//www.cdc.gov/travel

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Pre-departureBooking Hotel Rooms

• Question 2
• Right before departure, the gender balance
  changed on your traveling program requiring you
  to get extra hotel rooms for a single male and a
  single female. However, a couple enrolled in
  your program offer to share a room, which will
  save the program money. Is this arrangement
  permissible?

Australia
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Question 2 Answer

• No. It is against university policy for students
  of the opposite gender to room together in
  MSU-arranged facilities.
• If you are worried about going over budget,
  inquire if the facilities can offer triples and
  if so, request student volunteers. Otherwise,
  contact Amy Moeder or Sean Curry to discuss your
  monetary concerns.
• Amy Moeder at moeder_at_msu.edu
• Sean Curry at currysea_at_msu.edu
• Phone [phone]

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On site Pregnancy Disclosed

• Question 3
• You run study abroad program which involves
  travel to many cities and countries in a short
  period of time. For the 4th morning in a row,
  one of your students is holding up the groups
  departure because she doesnt feel well. The
  other students, who followed instructions and
  were ready on time, are as annoyed as you. When
  you reprimand the student for her tardiness, she
  later reveals that she is 6-weeks pregnant. What
  do you do?

Mexico
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Question 3 Answer

• Thank the student for confiding in you, and
  assure her that you will respect her right to
  medical privacy.
• Ask the student if she would like to see or speak
  to a physician, particularly to discuss how to
  cope with her morning sickness.
• If your program includes a lot of intensive
  physical activity, recommend the student confirm
  with a physician she is clear to participate.
• With the students permission, contact the OSA or
  HTH directly to arrange an office visit or
  medical consult (by telephone).
• Ask the student to develop strategies that can
  make the mornings easier, such as getting up
  earlier, or sitting in the front of the bus.

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On site Serious Slip Fall

• Question 4
• While hiking on a short but difficult path to a
  historic site, some students started horsing
  around on the trail. One slips and falls at least
  40 feet into the ravine below. The terrine is too
  treacherous for anyone to go after him, though
  students are asking you if they can. What are you
  next steps?

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Question 4 Answer

• Prior to beginning such an activity, make sure to
  have a map of the area and the contact
  information and procedures for reaching the
  ranger stations or other forms of assistance.
• Send at least two to three program participants
  back to seek help.
• Stay behind with the rest of the group and
  prevent other students from trying to go down the
  ravine.
• Initiate contact with the fallen student and tell
  them that help is coming.
• Follow the instructions of the emergency response
  personnel when they arrive.
• As soon as it is feasible, contact the OSA to
  inform us of the incident.
• MSU 24/7 Emergency Assistance Line 517-353-3784

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On-site Political Violence
Italy

• Question 5 Violent riots against the current
  government break out in the city where your
  program resides. There is extensive
  international media coverage, but the activity is
  not near your group and you do not consider your
  students to be in any danger whatsoever. Should
  you do anything?

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Question 5 Answer

• Yes, even though your students are safe, the
  extensive news coverage of the incidents may make
  both university officials and parents nervous.
  Therefore, please call the 24/7 Intl Emergency
  Assistance Line to inform MSU of your status.
• If you are calling MSU late at night and do not
  think the situation warrants waking an official,
  simply inform the cadet that the call is for
  information purposes only, and to contact OSA at
  the start of business the next day.
• You should ask students to phone or e-mail their
  loved ones to reassure them that they are not in
  harms way.
• If the situation persists, please maintain
  communications with MSU/OSA.
• MSU 24/7 Emergency Assistance Line 517-353-3784
• MSU Main Office Line 517-353-8920
• MSU E-mail studyabroad_at_msu.edu

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On-site Medical Emergencies

• Question 6
• A student on your program complains of extreme
  intestinal discomfort, so you arrange for her to
  see a reputable, local physician that you have
  used in the past. He admits the student to the
  local hospital for routine tests, but assures you
  that it is probably nothing serious. Do you
  inform OSA of the hospitalization?

South Africa
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Question 6 Answer

• Yes, regardless of what the physician says, OSA
  must be informed any time a student is
  hospitalized. Not only can OSA advise you on how
  to manage the situation given your many other
  responsibilities, but can also work with MSU
  officials and the students family should the
  situation become more serious.
• In addition, it is crucial that our medical
  insurance provider, HTH, is notified as soon as
  possible of any hospitalization abroad, so that
  direct payment may be made. If HTH notification
  is delayed until the student is discharged, it is
  likely that the student will be required to pay
  in full for her care (although HTH can reimburse
  her upon her return).
• Other students in the program may inaccurately
  report the incident to their own parents, causing
  unnecessary concern or panic. If OSA is informed
  of the incident abroad, we can provide other
  worried parents with accurate information (while
  protecting the medical privacy of the affected
  student).

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On-site Extra Activities
Question 7 While on-site, a reputable travel
agency has offered to put together an adventure
package day-trip for your liberal arts program.
The package includes bungee jumping and
hang-gliding. All the students want to
participate, you have plenty of extra money in
your budget, and all required safety precautions
will be taken in the course of the activities.
Can you book this arrangement?

Switzerland
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Question 7 Answer

• No. Study abroad program funds should support
  the academic content of the program.
• In addition, injuries or illnesses associated
  with ultra hazardous activities such as hang
  gliding, parachuting and bungee jumping are
  expressly excluded from the HTH insurance policy
  and such activities cannot be supported with MSU
  funds.
• Students may elect to participate in this
  activity on their own. However, students should
  be aware that any treatment of illnesses or
  injuries as a result of participating in such
  activities will be at their own expense.
• Read the entire insurance policy at
  http//studyabroad.msu.edu/safety/students/health.
  html

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On-siteTerrorist Attack

• Question 8
• One morning before class, several bombs go off in
  quick succession on local buses in the downtown
  area. This is near the route your students take
  to get from their residence hall to their
  classes. Emergency vehicles, TV cameras and
  panicked residents flood the streets. What do
  you do?

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Question 8 Answer

• Use whatever means you have to safely track down
  and account for all of the students. Make sure
  they are safe, or if involved in the incident,
  that they are receiving appropriate care.
• Contact the 24/7 Intl Emergency Assistance Line
  to inform MSU of the status of the group and your
  present location. OSA will implement our
  emergency response protocol.
• Contact and get advice from the nearest U.S.
  Embassy/Consulate.
• Consider the impact of the attack on the
  availability of food, water, and medical
  supplies, as well as on the location of the group
  and travel issues.
• When the situation stabilizes, help the students
  to get access to counseling or other services.
• OSA will inform the MSU community, parents and
  the media about the situation.
• Maintain communication with OSA until the
  situation is resolved.

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On-site OTC Medications and Basic First Aid
Question 9 You are in Arga, India, when one of
your students complains of diarrhea. She would
like to know if you have some Imodium she left
hers at the hotel in New Delhi. Can you give her
the medication? Another student slipped on the
marble floor and scraped up her knees pretty bad.
She said she doesnt need a doctor, and knows you
have a first-aid kit. Can you dress her wounds?

India
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Question 9 Answer

• Its not unreasonable or unusual for a program
  leader to carry a wide variety of
  over-the-counter medications or even a first-aid
  kit.
• You can even include the cost of a first-aid kit
  in your program fee, and purchase one from Olin
  Health Center or an area pharmacy.
• Allowing a student access to these items is not
  practicing medicine without a license.
• Do not, however, dole out the medication or
  suggest the dosage. Allow the student to read the
  instructions and make her own decisions.
• Suggest the student dress her own wound, or ask a
  friend do it for her.

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On-site Parental Concern
Question 10 While abroad, Susans mother keeps
e-mailing you that Susan has not contacted her
family since the program began. You have
repeatedly told Susan that her family is
interested in her well being, but according to
Susans mom, Susan has taken no action. Susan
appears happy and is doing well in her courses,
so you think Susans mom has no cause for alarm.
What can you say to Susans mom while respecting
Susans right to privacy?

Greece
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Question 10 Answer

• You may acknowledge that Susan appears happy and
  well, but refrain from going into any detail
  about Susans activities or class performance
  without her permission. You may also be frank
  with Susans mother that you continue to pass on
  her messages to her daughter, but you cannot
  require her to contact home.
• You may also wish to refer the parent to your OSA
  coordinator, who can assure the parent that
  Susans behavior is typical. You may also direct
  Susans mom to the Parent Page of the OSA website
  for additional information.
• http//studyabroad.msu.edu/people/parents.html

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On-site Behavior Problem

• Question 11
• The hall manager of your students residence
  phones to report that Johnny came in drunk
  earlier this morning. On the way to his room, he
  vomited in the lobby and the hallway. She
  expects the student to pay for the cleaning
  costs, and would like him removed from the
  facility. How do you deal with the student and
  the hall manager?

London
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Question 11 Answer

• Call OSA to discuss the incident with your
  program coordinator or a member of the health and
  safety team. OSA will support the managers
  request for cleaning costs and the removal of the
  student from the facility. In that case, the
  student will not be refunded any housing costs,
  and the student will be responsible for finding
  their own alternative accommodations.
• However, it may behoove the student to offer an
  apology to the hall manager as well as promise
  not to misbehave again. Sometimes students are
  given a second chance, but this is left to the
  discretion of the hall manager.
• If the student is unable to provide cash to cover
  the cost of the cleaning, you may pay the hall
  with program fee money, but be sure to obtain a
  receipt. Or, the hall can bill OSA. In any
  case, we can then charge the students account.
• Johnny should receive a written warning that
  acknowledges his bad behavior, warns him not to
  do it again, and describes the consequences of
  disobedience, such as dismissal from the program.

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On-Site Death of a Student

• Question 12
• It is the late afternoon and there are no
  scheduled program activities, so your students
  are on their own. You receive a call on your cell
  phone from the local police who tell you that
  your phone number was found in the wallet of a
  young man who was struck and killed by a
  metro-rail train. They are asking you to come to
  the hospital to identify the body. What do you do?

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Question 12 Answer

• While on the phone with the police, try to
  establish the identity of the student and gather
  as much information about the circumstances of
  the students death as possible.
• Contact the Office of Study Abroad so that we can
  implement our crisis response procedures.
• Go to the hospital and cooperate with the police
  in the identification of the deceased. Call the
  OSA again to provide us with any new information.
  
• MSU will notify the students designated
  Emergency Contact.
• In consultation with the OSA, develop a plan to
  provide support to the other program
  participants.
• Be sure to take care of your own emotional needs,
  and do not be afraid to ask OSA for assistance in
  arranging your own grief counseling.

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Upon Return Personal Liability

• Question 13
• Even though you advised your students not to go
  to a certain part of town after dark, a few went
  to a bar in that area and got drunk anyway.
  Instead of taking a taxi home, they hitched a
  ride from some locals, who beat and robbed the
  students. One student suffered serious and
  permanent eye damage. His parents are
  threatening to sue you for negligence. Are you
  liable?

Kenya
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Question 13 Answer

• Probably not. The parents will have a difficult
  time proving negligence. First, the students
  were not participating in any program-related
  activities at the time of the incident. Second,
  they had been specifically warned not to go where
  they did. Third, OSA orientations and the
  Student Handbook strongly discourage students
  from hitchhiking.
• While you may be personally threatened with a
  lawsuit, since the accident happened while you
  were in the course of MSUs employment (even if
  you werent teaching at the time of the
  incident), the University will indemnify you.

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How did you do?

• If you need to review the full content of the
  Seminar, go back to the faculty web page and
  upload the 2008-2009 Seminar Powerpoint.
• http//studyabroad.msu.edu/people/EPR_Faculty_Sem
  inar.ppt
• If you would like to attend a seminar again,
  consult the following schedule. You do not need
  to RSVP - just show up.
• http//studyabroad.msu.edu/people/emergency_respon
  se.html

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Upon Your Return To the USTalk to us
London
We improve our services by analyzing past
problems and OSAs overall ability to mitigate
risk and respond to emergencies.
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THANK YOU FOR VIEWING THIS PRESENTATION
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