Nurse

Name	Room Number	Voice Mail Box
Mrs. Rosemary Breen, Nurse	Health	104

Roles of the School Nurse:

· Assess and evaluate overall student health

· Plan for the management of health problems

· Assist with students with special health care needs

· Provide select health services for staff

· Coordinate health services with school and community resources

· Provide assessment, triage, and care of sick and injured students and staff

· Observe school facilities and recommend modifications to maintain optimum health and safety of students and staff

· Review and implement health policies

· Administer prescribed medications

· Perform mandated screenings and make appropriate referrals

· Monitor immunization compliance

· Provide education on a variety of health topics to students, families and staff

Guidelines for Student Absences:

A parent/guardian must notify the school each day the student is absent. Call the school nurse if a student will be absent for more than 3 days with an illness or injury.

Students should NOT be sent to school with these problems:

· Fever of 100.0 or higher

· Vomiting or diarrhea in past 12 hours

· Red, itchy eyes with green or yellow discharge, until under treatment

· Symptoms of impetigo (red itchy, weepy rash that looks like many cold sores combined, usually on the face)

· Head lice infestation, until treatment shampoo done

· Any undiagnosed rash (i.e. chickenpox)

· Severe sore throat, excessive cough that produces phlegm, severe headache, earache, stomachache or ANY other illness when the child is not able to eat/drink/sleep or otherwise function normally without any pain/discomfort

Follow your doctor’s advice for rest, activity and medication. If your child improves during the day and medication (if prescribed) has been given for at least 24 hours, he/she may come to school late. Children that return to school after an illness are expected to be able to participate in all activities, including gym and outdoor recess, so be sure your child is completely recovered before sending them to school.

Let the school nurse know if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s health or if anything is happening in their home life you think may impact your child’s emotional health (loosing a family pet, death of a grandparent or other relative, etc.).

Health Room Coverage

A registered nurse employed by the Newington Board of Education is present in school from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The school health office number is 666-4687. Please feel free to call with any questions or concerns about your child. Your input is welcomed and encouraged.

Physical Examinations

A physical examination is required for students entering kindergarten and during grade three. A student will not enter grade four until this physical examination is completed. School physicians will examine children in grade three whose parents have not indicated a preference to use their own physician. A parent wishing to be present at the time of the school physical should make arrangements with the school nurse. When a child enters our school system from out of state, the written report of a physical examination administered within the past year is required. If a student enters from any Connecticut public school, health records will be transferred and reviewed by the school nurse.

Immunization

New students will not be permitted to register for school until the school nurse receives a complete immunization record. This includes pupils entering kindergarten or registering for the first time from an out-of-district school.

Emergency Cards

An Emergency Card should be completed for each student by his or her parent/guardian the first week of each school year or at the time of enrollment. Any changes throughout the school year related to Emergency Card information should be reported to the school immediately.

Contagious Diseases

Students recovering from the following diseases are readmitted to school after evaluation by the school nurse:

Ø Chicken Pox – Students should be kept home at least seven days after the first appearance of vesicles.

Ø Scarlet Fever and Strep Throat – Students should be kept home a minimum of 24 hours after antibiotic therapy has begun.

Ø Impetigo – Students should be excluded from school until satisfactory treatment
has been given.

Ø Students with head lice, ringworm, pink eye, and other conditions that might be easily transmitted will be sent home until such condition has been satisfactorily treated.

Administration of Medications

Medication, including "over-the-counter" (i.e. non-aspirin preparations) is given only with written authorization of the parent and physician, physician’s assistant, or dentist on a designated form. Certified staff may legally administer medications if the nurse is not available.

Medication must be delivered and administered from the original container clearly labeled with the name of the student, physician, and medication, with directions for dosage and date of original prescription. All medication must be delivered to the school nurse by the parent or other designated adult. Students are never allowed to carry medications without written medical authorization.