Strep testing???

[nursekoll, BSN, RN]

I'm wondering if any School Nurses are doing Strep testing in schools? I see there are now both home- strep tests available OTC and CLIA-Waived Strep tests available from school nurse supply stores. I'm curious if this is within our scope of practice if offered to students with sore throats and parents agree to it. Obviously, if we got a positive, they would likely still need the Dr visit for the treatment, but if negative, it could save them a lot of unnecessary visits and costs. I would absolutely use it on my own kids as I've taken them in 3 times this school year, and once it was strep and twice it wasn't. Could have saved myself about $400 for the visits on those negative tests ? Is anyone using these (or other kind) rapid strep tests in their school?  

https://www.schoolnursesupplyinc.com/Clarity-Strep-A-Test_p_9537.html

[scuba nurse, BSN, MSN, RN]

Nope, we are not even covid testing in school anymore. I cant see that we would ever use this. too many students and they would need to go the doctor anyway to get abx. 

[vicrn1]

I asked our state school nurse consultant about strep and flu testing in the schools.  I feel it would greatly benefit our students and families.  We have Hazel Health - a telehealth option but since they do not have a brick and morter place of business they cannot get the tests to provide.  

[nursekoll, BSN, RN]

scuba nurse said:

Nope, we are not even covid testing in school anymore. I cant see that we would ever use this. too many students and they would need to go the doctor anyway to get abx. 

Yes, but I feel a lot of things we assess for may end up with a need to see a doctor after our assessment. I assess students with ear pain and refer to the doctor if the eardrum is red, so they can get antibiotics if the doctor thinks it is needed. If I can more accurately know when to send them to the doctor for a sore throat, I think that would be a huge help to parents.  I am the only health care person that so many of my kids ever see. I think it would greatly benefit them if I could do strep tests. 

[Nurse Trini]

Our district have only done it in cases where there was an incident with multiple kids in the same class coming down with strep and then only for other students in the same class.    

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

We do not do strep testing or COVID testing in our schools. We do Have COVID tests that we can provide for students that are going home with symptoms.. We also do not have a medical director to sign orders or protocols for everything. Our Health Department MD will sign off on our stock epi, and stock albuterol.