Swine Flu Outbreak, School Nurse Set Response in Motion

Aneroo, LPN · Apr 28, 2009

And yet our positions are getting cut...

rehab nurse · Apr 28, 2009

And everyone thinks school nurses don't "do anything useful" as I heard at my daughter's school yesterday.

My kids don't have a school nurse, and my children have suffered from it a few times. Some things I can let go, but the things my kids went through, I can't forgive. There are no school nurses where I live...in any of the districts around me.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Apr 28, 2009

We have one for the whole district...makes me feel really comfortable that it is the school secretary handing out their meds. Until a bunch of us threatened to sue, the kids had to go to the secretary to ask for their inhalers....nope, that isn't going to fly, my kid could be near dead by time she gets down to the office. And if they don't have a fever, they don't let them call home either...that is my next battle.

We always had a school nurse in each school where I grew up...it was great :)

Good for this gal to be on the ball!

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Apr 28, 2009

When I went to school there was always a nurse as well. I don't understand how a school can go without one! What happens to a child with a headache, or diabetics, or as mentioned those with asthma attacks or allergic reactions? I don't think regular school staff is educated enough for this.

allnurses Guide · Apr 28, 2009

How about some of us writing letters to the editor and our school board members?

We nEED school nurses and public health nurses.

classykaren · Apr 28, 2009

We dont have school nurses in Florida either

pink2blue1 · Apr 28, 2009

We don't have a school nurse at our schools every day either. We do have a District nurse who may come in once per week. In our Health office we have a "health Clerk" At my daughters elementary school there are diabetic children and the "health clerk" who is an employee of the school, with no medical training, monitors the children taking their blood sugars etc. One girl is on a pump, not sure about the other child. They do monitor the phone calls the child makes to her parents.

I assisted with a child who fell and hit her head on the playground one day. It was before the school bell had rung for the start of school. I was told I couldn't interact with her now that she was at the office, Because I was not a school employee, even though I am a licensed nurse. I stayed in the office anyways. Poor kid!

It would make me feel better if there were a licensed nurse in our schools daily. There isn't even one there at my daughters middle school (1100 kids!)

cursedandblessed · Apr 28, 2009

the county i'm in has at least one per school-though they're trying to cut that down. i did a 3 wk rotation at one, it was a great experience. it's not just the fever's, coughs, braces, pads and meds.

there's a lot of psycho-social issues especially in the middle and high schools. for many of them, they haven't seen a doctor but a couple of times in their lives. the nurse i worked with also had found resources for parents who couldn't take their child to the eye doctor, had lists of free/sliding scale health providers, things i didn't even know were available in the area.

from what i understand, the pay scale for a school nurse isn't as good, but i found the rotation really rewarding. it was something i could see myself doing.

whiskeygirl, LPN · Apr 28, 2009

I don't mean to side track the thread (even though my comment is somewhat off-topic).

School nurses in Washington state earn less than a bus driver, even if you have a Bachelors degree.

It really is a great job though. And a different kind of stress, but nothing every one of you can't handle. I loved working with the middle school kids. I know that I make changes in the kids I cared for and their families, and they made a change in mine!

Great Job!!! And Great people!!!!!

aloevera · Apr 29, 2009

Kudos to that school nurse.......

Our county does not utilize school nurses...kids get their meds from the school secretary...I think it is outrageous....my kids have been out of school awhile so I have no direct reason to raise cane but should....people here just accept that and think nothing of it....What a pity.....but they do have school counselors....so why not a nurse????? Just to save $$$$$.....what a pity....

a.holland · Apr 30, 2009

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