Irvine schools consistently rank among the best in California. One of the reasons our local schools receive top marks is because the City invests millions of dollars to ensure they have the resources needed to be successful.
Our professional school nurses are specially trained and credentialed through the State of California. Although most parents and school board members think that school nurses simply bandage a kid with a scrape or handle an occasional emergency, the truth is that their core functions are so much more. As the COVID-19 pandemic revealed, school nurses are front line workers providing care for the entire school community.
School nurses are responsible for administering screenings for vision and hearing, and they run flu shot clinics. They train others, such as showing staff how to perform CPR, first aid and emergency medication administration. They perform state-mandated immunization reviews. They also collaborate with social workers, mental health and guidance counselors for all students, including those who require home school because they are too ill to attend school or are hospitalized. School nurses are members of the team providing individual education and medical plans for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and chronic health conditions.
School nurses are also responsible for creating, distributing, and coordinating care plans for children and teens who need additional physical and/or mental health support to be successful in school. Additionally, they perform medical procedures that are needed during school hours. School nurses are the eyes of your child’s pediatrician during school.
When it comes to sports injuries, school nurses play a critical role. For example, school nurses can help a child recovering from a concussion by coordinating recommended academic modifications with classroom teachers. This takes the pressure off the family and child as a school nurse can be the main point of communication rather than requiring a child to speak to several teachers independently. The school nurse’s office can provide a place for physical support as the student recovers from a concussion. Some kids will need a break from class while others require a quiet environment for studying and test-taking. And, the school nurse can report back to the rest of the medical team on progress and areas of concern.
Students with diabetes, especially recently diagnosed individuals, will need ongoing education and adjustment of medication and activity. In conjunction with other members of the medical team, the school nurse serves as an on-site health resource to support students and provide timely updates. They can assist with meal selection, adjusting insulin dosing, and monitoring for signs of high or low blood sugar levels. They can also be helpful when there is an alteration in the daily schedule that may affect blood sugar readings and symptoms.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the recommended national standard for the number of school nurses is at least one onsite full-time school nurse at each school.
You may be surprised to learn that Irvine schools do not meet the national standard. In fact, there are only about 24 school nurses to cover the 42 schools in town plus two virtual academies — far below the national standard. School nurses play a critical role in keeping our schools safe by making sure that students, teachers, and staff are healthy. Pediatricians know that the absence of a school nurse can significantly impact the health and safety of the school environment, affecting not only individual students but the broader school community as well.
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