Article found at Center for Nursing Advocacy;
Nurse shortage puts school kids at risk
By Bruce Horovitz and Kevin McCoy, USA TODAY
December 13th, 2005
Only one state, Delaware requires a nurse at every school.
And we think hospital staffing ratios stink:
An analysis of 2004 Census data by USA TODAY showed roughly 56,000 nurses worked full time at schools. That's one for every 950 students, a ratio that fails to meet federal guidelines that call for one nurse for every 750 students.
As a consequence, thousands of children with asthma, attention-deficit disorder, food allergies and other increasingly prevalent health problems must rely on teachers, other school staffers or the telephone.
"I tell everyone, 'If there's ever an emergency, don't even bother trying to find me — just call 911,' " says Kate Earnhart, the lone school nurse for 7,200 students in Tuolumne County, Calif.
Additional side bar articles:
In Mass., nurses take proactive role
Utah mom on a mission
Students pay the price:
Instead of a nurse, a locked door
Breathing complications leave girl brain damaged
School blamed in boy's death
See Center's commentary:
"If there's ever an emergency, don't even bother trying to find me -- just call 911"
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