Many students with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)!

[nancyk]

I am the school nurse for a public school district in California with a very high number of students with T1D. Last year I had 7 (4 diagnosed within the previous year) at a middle school with 1100 students. In the 5 elementary schools I cover, I had one student with T1D at 4 of them. A total of 11 students with T1D out of 3200 students. This year I will have 5 at the middle school and 3 at elementary schools for a total of 8....so far.

10 of the 11 students had insulin pumps & Dexcom sensors. At the middle school, where I spent most of my time last year, I had the Share app on 2 devices (5 max per device). I oversaw nurses & TDPs (trained non-medical personnel) caring for the other 4 students with T1D at the elementary schools. All 10 sets of parents also had the Share app and I communicated often with many of them. I have had a clerical assistant 4 hours 5 days a week, however this year that person will be a nurse with T1D experience 5-6 hours 5 days a week.

I would love to know whether you (or a school nurse you know) have had this many students with T1D. This is my 3rd year in this position (was an oncology nurse before). I've developed an elaborate system to care for my students (with and without T1D) in the safest manner I can. It was particularly difficult to manage the 7 students at the middle school last year.

Thanks for any input you may have!

[peacockblue]

We are fortunate to have an RN in each building, so I never have to run between. In my high school, I have had as many as 9 and as few as 2. Currently, I have 4 students with type 1 and they all use a pump and are super independent. They only keep supplies in my room and stop in if something is wrong. I have had students who were less independent or who lied about readings, didn't calculate insulin, just guessed, etc. Those were a bit more work. :)

[coughdrop.2.go, BSN, RN]

I'm getting a lot of DM's incoming this year so I'm working on a day where I'm inviting all my DM students and parents (incoming and continuing) to come to my Health Center just to meet me, ask questions, see the space, drop off extra supplies, etc. Try to make connections with family ASAP. Good luck!