Increased School Liability
Edith Finke assesses a p.e. injury and prepares an ice bag for a student at North Shelby School.
"In larger cities, like Columbia, schools have the luxury of being a couple minutes away from a paramedic," Harmon states. "But those in rural "In larger cities, like Columbia, schools have the luxury of being a couple minutes away from a paramedic," Harmon states. "But those in rural communities are more likely to be 15-20 minutes away from additional help."
So the lack of school nurses places pressure on school districts in terms of liability, but it also places increased responsibility on the individualized teacher.
"Not only are teachers suppose to be teaching, but they then have to manage their student's health care as well," says Harmon, who spent several years working as a CPS nurse. "For the district, not having a school nurse creates increased liability. For example, you have a student who goes into a diabetic coma or has a high blood sugar reading and the school nurse isn't there. Only an RN can give that student a shot that could remedy the situation. If they aren't in the building, the situation could go terribly wrong."
More reason to have a BSN- or MS(N)-prepared nurse on school premises.
Nurses with this type of educational background are trained to assess a situation and decide on a course of action.
"They ask the bigger questions such as why is the child on this medication and why are they taking it a particular time," Finke says. "If a child is having a difficult time paying attention in class, the RN can have those conversations with the physician and together, with the family and teachers, really assess the situation."
Instructors at the School teach their students not just to look at what their patient needs at that moment or the twelve steps they have to accomplish that day.
They educate them to look at the bigger picture and what their patients are going to need tomorrow. This is what the BSN- and MS(N)-prepared nurses bring to their school district - preventative and coordinating health care.
"School nurses manage an individual student's health care issues, but they still plan for the overall health of the school," Miller says. "They are the first line of defense for our children; and if we are concerned about health care, we need to care about who is educating our students about health care issues."
These nurses are also essential in the overall coordination of school district's emergency plans.
For instance, if you have a child in a wheelchair there has to be an emergency evacuation plan specifically for that student. "You have to know where they are every minute and every second of their school day," says Atkins. "If there's a fire, you have to know where they are and how to get them out of the building."
However, first and foremost, the goals of the school nurse support the teaching mission of the school and school district.
continued...Complex Health Issues