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Clinic Staffing
Each school clinic is staffed with a full-time registered nurse, along with trained clinic assistants in the larger schools. They provide health screenings, assessments for chronic and acute illness,and first aid for school-related injuries. The registered nurse at each school is available to consult with parents as needed, regarding health concerns of students.
Special Health Needs
If a student has special health needs (medication, seizure precautions, catherizations, gastric tube feedings, blood sugar checks, oxygen needs, or others), the parent is to schedule a time to meet with the school nurse to arrange for these needs to be taken care of during the student’s school day. All medications and treatments require both a written physician’s order and a parent/guardian's signature. The school nurse will assist the parent by preparing a plan of care for their student and advising them as to what supplies the student will need at school.
Administration of Medication
Administration of medications, especially short term, should be done at home whenever possible. However, if a student is required to take prescription or non-prescription medication during the school day, the following guidelines must be met:
- A written order from the physician, dentist, or practitioner is required, stating the student’s name ,the name of medication , the dosage, the time, the route (oral, injectable, inhaled, patch, etc.),and the duration of time that it is to be given (e.g., one week, the school year, etc.), along with the parent’s/guardian’s signature. Medication forms are available for your convenience in the school clinic.
- Medication must be in a container that has been labeled by the pharmacy and has the most current prescription date. Over-the-counter medication must be in a sealed, unopened new bottle.
- Parent /guardian must deliver medication to the school clinic, as students are not permitted to transport medication.
- All medicine must be picked up by a parent at the end of the school year.
Medicine not picked up will be disposed.
In some situations, accommodations can be made for students with asthma and with potential for severe allergic reactions to self-administer their inhaled asthma medication or their auto-injectable (epi-pen) medication. These situations require written health care plans, along with other specific details for care. Additional questions and concerns may be directed to the registered nurse at your school.
Immunizations for School-age Children
As per the Code of Virginia and state legislation, the school division must comply with all requirements for immunizations as pertaining to school age children. There are specific regulations for DPT, Polio, MMR, Hepatitis B and Varicella. In July 2006, legislation was passed requiring a pertussis booster for students entering 6th grade. Lack of compliance with vaccine requirements can result in students being excluded from school until compliance, or a plan for compliance, is achieved.
Emergency Contacts
Parents are encouraged to keep the school nurse informed of current work, cell, home phone numbers, pagers, and any other means whereby they can be contacted during the school day should the need arise. Emergencies can occur at any time. It is urgent that your child's school be able to reach parents and caregivers. Collaboration and communication with parents, guardians, and physicians is essential for caring for our students successfully.
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