If your school is closed re COVID19, what is your role

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

I’ve been thinking about what our role will be if DHS does call for school closure. I was thinking we could create a screening tool that would identify higher-risk families and then call those families with instructions and education. Questions could include recent travel, symptoms, contact with others, etc. Families could fill this out online, so we could go old school and just call every family and administer the survey via phone. I am setting up a Google Voice account, so that I can call families from my cell phone without them having access to my person numbers (as we would be working from home in the case of a school closure).

We will coordinate communications from top down (CDC -> local DHS -> our school)

What else!?

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

CDC: Resources for K-12 Schools and Childcare Programs -includes cleaning/disinfecting

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

15 hours ago, NRSKarenRN said:

CDC: Resources for K-12 Schools and Childcare Programs -includes cleaning/disinfecting

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html

this is a wonderful resource! thank you!

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Also found in this CDC section:

Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019: Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/talking-with-children.html

Heard Dr. Anthony Fauci (head CDC infecious disease) speak last night, CDC developed flyer based on colleagues in Australia to distribute. Available in English, Chinese, Spanish. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

I heard him discuss that at the press conference, but it was unclear that the documents were already available. thanks for sharing!

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

Our state HD has advised us to not screen or answer questions about it. We are to give a hotline number.

[mainecoonRN92, BSN, RN]

19 minutes ago, SchoolNurse91 said:

Our state HD has advised us to not screen or answer questions about it. We are to give a hotline number.

Same

[k1p1ssk, BSN, RN]

I imagine in our district, the nurses will work closely with admin to write communication to families, possibly formulate a questionnaire that will help guide families with questions/concern for exposure. Right now, closure is a real possibility in our district, just not sure when or for how long....

[SaltineQueen]

My role in anything is going to be to defer to what my county health department tells me to do. What that will be, I don't know at this point...but I think it's only a matter of time until I find out. It's only a couple counties away. Our state department of health drafted a letter that we sent home.

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

I was told (this was weeks ago) that staff will still come in because "e-learning is easier to manage when you're in the building" and that I will come in to make sure staff are safe to be here. So I guess my role will be breaking quarantine and having everyone breathe on me.

[ARN]

we start Spring break tomorrow. all of our students are taking their chromebooks home today if they have a signed agreement by parent that they can take them home. something that happens at the beginning of the year I'm sure. I apparently signed one for my first grader because per his teacher he is "good to go".

I have asked my director what will the nurses role be in case of an e-learning day and so far the response is they are working on a plan for us. She put out a Google doc to see who has a laptop/chromebook and who still only has a PC. So I am guessing we may have some education etc they might have us do? but as far as real workable time for 2 weeks I have my doubts they will figure something out.

I can still work at the hospital because I am PRN there. (do I really want to? IDK because then that puts me at risk for further quarantines and unable to work my school job when we open).

so much still up in the air.

[BeckyESRN]

We start Spring Break after Friday. Our teachers are trying to pry info from admin, but with the situation changing so quickly, no one has any idea what will happen when we return on the 23rd.