Life on Campus

Meet with the school’s office of disability services to set up any assistance you may need. The office of disability services can provide information about storing your medication and treating in your room. They can also give you information on special transportation options. They can help you create a schedule that doesn’t strain your muscles and joints if needed. They also can guide you through academic assistance if you need accommodations.

You can also meet with the school’s student health center staff. If you will not be able to store your bleeding disorder medication in your room, you will need to talk about how to have your medication shipped and stored at the school.

Set up delivery of your bleeding disorder medication if needed. If your medication will be shipped directly to you and not to the school’s health center, talk with the mail services staff. Let them know about refrigerating any medication that needs to be kept cool. Make sure you’re notified as soon as your medication arrives. You should schedule deliveries of your medications, so you don’t run out.

Bleeding disorder medication may be climate sensitive and should be stored as directed by your pharmacist or health care provider.^1,2 Some can be stored at room temperature for a specific length of time and others need refrigeration.

Remember that the temperature of your room may vary by season, so plan ahead. For medication that can be stored at room temperature, make sure to check the packaging and inserts. The packaging and inserts can tell you about the maximum safe temperature for your medication. For some that could mean up to 77°F but for others that may be 86°F. This information can be important if where you live does not have air conditioning and is in a warm climate.

If you do need to refrigerate your medication, there are some things to think about. In a typical dorm fridge, you might find pizza and old leftovers. Lots of different people may open and close the fridge. If the fridge is opened often, then the temperature is less stable. The best place to store any medications that need to be kept cool is in a separate refrigerator in your room. The campus office of disability services may be able to arrange this for you. If you don’t have a separate refrigerator, then storing the medication, clearly labeled, in the center of the fridge allows for the best temperature control. If the power goes out, don’t open the door of the fridge where your bleeding disorder medication is stored. For more information on storing medication, please go to Safely Storing Factor at Home.

Find out your school’s policy on sharps disposal if you infuse or inject your medicine and need to figure out what to do with the needles. You can also talk with your Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) to figure out how to properly dispose of your sharps containers and medicine.

You may want to put together an emergency kit with specific items. You can tell a roommate, friend, or someone who you can easily contact how to get to the kit.

Here are items that should be in your emergency kit:

• First aid supplies
• Emergency contact numbers
• Health Insurance card or a copy
• Medical history (on USB drive)
• Your medication (or information on where it is stored so it can be added during the emergency)
• Any treatment supplies

You can find support from many different places at school. If you’ll be using a new Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) close to campus, they can help. Your campus health center, RA, housing director, professor, advisors, school administration, employers, or friends are all potential sources for help. You may find that the office of disability services is your top place for support. Don’t forget to keep in touch with old friends.

• Explore class registration options such as early registration.
  • This is a good plan if you need to attend classes in certain buildings or locations that are accessible to you.
• Know the local hospitals and which one to go to.
  • You can speak to your new Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) about this. Your HTC can tell you if the hospital has staff knowledgeable about bleeding disorders.
• Some students may do a work study, which is a part-time job for students as part of financial aid. Explore the choices early to decide if you will need special accommodations.
• Be aware of any physical requirements for your plan of study.
• Look into sports, recreation centers, and services.
  • Many schools have club, intramural, and division sports teams.
• You may want to contact a local bleeding disorder organization that can offer support. They can give you information on social events and volunteer opportunities.
• Know what mental health services are available.