School Nurses: When is everyone back?

[SaltineQueen]

Where are you located & what are this year’s protocols?

I’m in Indiana.  I go back Wednesday, the kids a week later (8/11).  This year masks are optional (so probably 3 people will wear them).  Not sure how much distancing will be maintained...I know 6-12 physically can’t since there’s no virtual option this year, K-5 might be able to keep some distance.  School contacts will not be quarantined but will have mask and distancing restrictions for those 2 weeks at school if they’re not vaccinated.  So this should be fun.  I think I’m dreading this year more than last.

[salpn]

We're not closed down yet, but we've gone back to what they did for parts of last year (temperature checks, etc... coming through the door).   It's an all-hands-on-deck type thing, so rather than the school nurse helping me at this point, I'm spending a good amount of time on general population health.

 

[SaltineQueen]

13 hours ago, Avill said:

I started 2 weeks ago and we are already closed down ?.

Honestly, I am relived. I literally had sick kids from 7:45-1:00 back to back on most days. PLUS trying to do all the covid stuff and my REGULAR work. I was already burnt out. 

 

I get to recharge for a bit over a week. HA. 

May the odds be forever in your favor guys!

Wow!  Where are you located?

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

We start on August 30th. We are masking everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

I will also be testing everyone on site weekly (including staff) with pooled testing. I also have a rapid antigen test (BinaxNOW) I can do on site for symptomatic staff and students. And for close contacts that are asymptomatic and non-vaccinated, there is a now something called "test and stay." It means every morning upon entry, I have to give these folks a BinaxNOW antigen test and if it is negative, they can stay at school. I do this for 7 days post exposure (not on weekends, but if day 7 is a Sunday, I do test to complete it on day 8).

I'm in MA. I will be running rapid COVID tests all the time. It will be super fun. But remote was terrible for so many of our kids. I don't want to go back to it. We are grades 5-12; grades 5 and 6 are the grades with kids under 12. For kids 12+ our vaccination rate is about ~52%.

[Glitternurse, LVN]

I am not looking forward to this year, but it sounds like we are slightly better off than many of you. I'm an LVN in CA we have indoor mask mandates regardless of vaccination status. I'm in elementary so none of our students are vaccinated, and many staff are not vaccinated.  Outside masks are recommended, but optional. We will still be contact tracing, but modified (it's very confusing I haven't quite got it figured out yet). We have 3 decision trees from the State Dept. of Public Health, so nothing is straightforward. If we have a positive case, the child goes home and the rest of the class is under "modified quarantine". The class may continue to come to school, but will be completely separated from everyone else, they will have their own play area, a lunch area etc... and they will be required to be tested twice a week, all for 10 days. If another student becomes positive then the 10 days start over. I can see a future with several classes on the modified quarantine, since most of our students have siblings. I don't know how they are planning for that, but I'm sure it will be a panicked last minute plan. I also have a new supervisor. She recently got her BSN and has never worked in a school, so lots of change and learning this coming year. My head is spinning. I started August 16th (my own time so I could help the new nurse). The kids are back on the 23rd. Sorry for the length. Good luck to all of us.

[amoLucia]

Yes, good luck to you all this new school year.