Nurse

  • Southern Elementary School offers nursing services that meet student emergency needs, monitor immunization records and requirements, make general recommendations about school health and safety, and dispense medicines in accordance with Board Policy #210 and the Board approved Health Policies and Standing Orders Manual.

    Use of Medications - General
    Schools are not institutions for the dispensing of medications. However, the district realizes that in certain conditions, such as epilepsy, hyperactivity, asthma, insect sting, allergy, and other unnamed conditions which are of a chronic nature or by their peculiar nature are determined to need special attention, it will be necessary for the nurse to undertake the dispensing of certain medication in a proper and responsible manner.

    School nurses are the only school personnel who are legally able, with a doctor's order, to dispense the medications which are listed in the Health Policies and Standing Orders Manual. Parental permission for administering is also required.

    Administering and/or Dispensing Medications at School
    All medications, prescription and non-prescription, must be delivered to the health office.  The transportation of medication is to be done by an adult.  If a student must take the medication in school, even for one day, the parent is responsible for providing the following:
      1.       Written doctor’s order and complete instructions (required for all prescriptions)
      2.       Written parental consent (required for all medications)
      3.       All medicine must be in the original container, when possible.
      4.       The label must include:
          a.      Student’s name
          b.      Name of medication
          c.      Amount to be given
          d.      Time to be given
          e.      Non-expired date
      5.       For short-term medication, provide only enough medication that is needed.
      6.       Please do not send the entire supply of medication and expect it to be returned home daily.

    First Aid Treatment
    In cases of emergency, illness or accident, first aid treatment shall be administered by qualified school personnel to the following extent:

    • First aid in the school is limited to first treatment only.
    • No diagnosis is made, and no medication given.
    • Emergencies shall be treated which require help in matters of minutes, such as: uncontrolled hemorrhage; extreme chest conditions, as stoppage of breathing; extended period of unconsciousness; burns covering ten percent (10%) or more of the body; snake or insect bites; extensive eye injuries.

     Additional information about authorized first aid procedures are described in Board Policy #210 and the District Health Policies and Standing Orders Manual.

    Immunization
    In order to safeguard the school community from the spread of certain communicable diseases and in recognition that prevention is a means of combating the spread of disease, the Board requires all students to be immunized against certain diseases in accordance with State statutes, unless specifically exempt for religious or medical reasons.

    No student shall be admitted to school for the first time who has not been immunized against such diseases as are enumerated by the Advisory Health Board and in the manner directed by the Secretary of Health.

    When pupils are known to have been exposed to a communicable disease, the principal shall have the authority to consult with a physician concerning excluding the pupil(s) from school for the incubation period of the particular disease, or to follow other requirements of the regulations of the State Department of Health.

    Board Policy #203 describes the immunization policy in further detail.

    Contagious Disease
    Pupils who are sent home by the school nurse or doctor are to be excluded until such time as they are completely well.  When a pupil has been excluded because of any contagious disease, s/he shall be readmitted only upon a written statement submitted by the school nurse, family physician, or the school doctor.