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School Heath Services Staff
School Health Services
School Health Services has come a long way from just the First Aid provider of the past. JPS nurses are actively involved not only in the day to day health concerns of students but also in the planning and implementation phases of maintaining and promoting healthy lifestyle patterns to the children in our schools. The goal of JPS School Health Services is to provide a secure environment for students to develop healthy habits and to learn to make wise choices in daily life that will prevent health problems and conditions as they grow. Our school health department consists of 11 registered nurses based at each school in the district and covering one parochial school, a registered nurse who travels within the district, and two nurse practitioners (one based at the high school and another covering the elementary and middle schools).
Many of the nurses wear several “hats” and function in various roles in organizing and participating in projects, programs, and activities including but not limited to:
Organizer for School Health Day programs which cover topics ranging from learning about good nutrition, benefits of exercise, dental health, and the importance of regular health check-ups.
Educator for parents and families, which is a major area where the nurse may have the most effective impact on student health.
Presenter at “School Health Awareness Nights” as an outreach to community members. The program provides information to parents, students, and interested parties regarding various state school health mandates and department procedures. Some of the topics covered include: school and sports physicals, working paper permits and physicals: What is required and what to expect; health office visits (policy and procedure); mandated screenings (vision, hearing, scoliosis, heights, and weights); medication in school (policy and procedure); automated external defibrillators in schools, and physical education for the general student population as well as adaptive physical education programs for the child with special needs, with this portion presented by physical education department representatives.
Consultant in the development of school emergency preparedness procedures.
Contributor in designing student individual education plans (IEPs) and modifying programs to accommodate students with special needs (504 plan)
Provider of nursing and medical treatments
Coordinator of health department immunization clinics
Monitor for occupational health with regard to infection/exposure control and employee safety
Liaison for students/families, school, community agencies, and primary care providers
Record-keeper for health and immunization records (the high school health office provides a computer generated print-out of immunizations for graduating seniors)
Confidante and safe-haven provider for both students and employees
Nurse Practitioners perform physical examinations, make referrals, and consult with RNs regarding student health issues
In addition to student health, our nurses are often called upon to coordinate “Battle of the Bulge” competitions, wellness programs and health advice for staff, as well as assessing staff health and medical concerns. The traditional role of the school nurse as the caring, concerned listener still exists today. Just ask any of the staff and faculty who seek out the nurse for a bit a “reassurance” with their personal health concerns.
Finally, the JPS school nurses have adopted the words of M. Jocelyn Elders on which to base their practice: “You can’t educate a child who isn’t healthy and you can’t keep a child healthy who isn’t educated. Together, school nurses work in tandem with educators to make the students’ educational experience a healthier and more positive one.
Madelaine Binner
Chairperson for Nursing/District Nurse Practitioner
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