School Nurse - Health Office
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MEDWAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
School Nurse Health
Services
Welcome to the School
Nurse Health Services web site information. We are pleased
to be able to provide you with a quick reference to
questions or issues that you may have pertaining to your
child while at school. You are encouraged to review the
information and certainly call your school nurse with any
questions or concerns. Let us know if you have a topic or
information that you would like added. As always, we are
available to you with any questions or concerns.
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School Nurse Health Services
“School nursing today is a
specialized practice of professional nursing that advances
the well being, academic success, and lifelong achievement
of students. To that end, the school nurses facilitate
positive student responses to normal development; promote
health and safety; intervene with actual and potential
health problems; provide case management services; and
actively collaborate with others to build student and family
capacity for adaptation, self-management, self-advocacy and
learning.”
~ National
Association of School Nurses ~
The role of the school nurse has
evolved throughout the years. We monitor the health status
and identify and address unmet needs of students. The
services provided through the Health Office are defined by
the National Association of School Nurses as well as the
School Health Unit of the Department of Public Health in
Massachusetts. The following are services provided by the
school nurses in the Medway School District:
Provides direct health
care to students and staff
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Illness assessment and care
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Triage, injury treatment and prevention
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Management of chronic conditions
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Administration of medications
Provides leadership for the provision of health services
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Health expert within the school
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Assures that the health needs are met for all students
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Individualized health care planning and case management
for students with special health care needs
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Crisis team member
Provides screening and referral for
health conditions
Promotes a healthy school environment
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Management of school records
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Immunizations
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Physical examinations
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Communicable disease prevention and control
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Environmental health and safety
Promotes health
Serves in a leadership role for health policies and
promotion
Serves as a liaison between school personnel, family,
community, and health care providers
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Facilitates access to health care services and
insurances
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Intercommunication between students, parents, school
community and health care providers
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School Nurse Health Office
Guidelines
The following guidelines briefly
highlight the protocols practiced in the Health Office.
These are general guidelines of the most common
occurrences. Your school nurse is always available for
consultation
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The use of specific, necessary
medications during school hours will allow students to
attend and remain in school, and will facilitate a level of
well being that will enhance student participation in the
classroom.
The Medway Public Schools follows the
Medication Administration Protocol from the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health Regulation 105 CMR 210.000.
The school nurse, in collaboration with
the parent or guardian, will establish a medication
administration plan for each student receiving medication.
Whenever possible, a student who understands the issues of
medication administration will be involved in the
decision-making process and his/her preferences respected to
the maximum extent possible.
The following information outlines only
the main points of the policy. The school nurse is always
available to consult with you should you have any questions
or concerns.
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All medication, prescriptions and over the
counter medications require a physician’s order and
completed parental permission form. Without this, the
medication is not given.
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All prescription medication must be labeled
and in a current pharmacy bottle.
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All over the counter medication must be in the
original packaging.
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Medications must be delivered to school by the
parent, guardian or responsible adult. Children are not
allowed to transport medication unless it is medically
indicated and after consultation with the school nurse.
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All medication orders expire at the end of the
school year. New medication orders are needed for the start
of a new school year.
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Medications must be picked up at the end of
the school year. Any remaining medication will be
destroyed.
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The physical examination is important
for preventive, diagnostic or corrective purposes. Its
objectives are to understand and follow up on health
conditions that may adversely affect the student’s
well-being and ability to learn.
The following are requirements for
physical examinations according to the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health Guidelines.
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Entry into the Medway Public Schools at any level. An
examination within one year will be accepted.
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Grades Pre-K, K, 4, 7 and 9.
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Annually prior to participation in the high school
sports program. This is also a Massachusetts
Interscholastic Athletic Association requirement.
Every child in Massachusetts should
have access to medical and dental care. Please contact your
school nurse for information regarding free or low-cost
insurance for your school-aged children.
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Immunizations are a vital communicable
disease control mechanism, and evaluation of current
immunization status is recognized as an important checkpoint
in determining the student’s affiliation with a primary care
provider.
Massachusetts immunization regulations
specify minimum immunization requirements for enrollment in
school. The law and regulations provide for exclusion of
students from school if immunizations are not current. No
child will be allowed to attend school without documented
proof of a current immunization status.
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Pre K |
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4 doses of
DPT |
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3 doses of
OPV |
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3 doses of
Hepatitis B |
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2 doses of
MMR |
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1 dose of
Varicella (chicken pox) or physician verified
date of disease |
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Proof of Hib
vaccine |
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Kindergarten |
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5 doses of
DPT |
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4 doses of
OPV |
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3 doses of
Hepatitis B |
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2 doses of
MMR |
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1 dose of
Varicella (chicken pox) or physician verified
date of disease |
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Lead
screening (at any age) |
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Vision
screening by physician (acuity and stereopsis) |
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Grade 7 |
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All above
immunizations |
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Td booster (DTaP
recommended) |
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Every injury presented in the
health office is assessed. In minor cases such as bumps,
scrapes etc. the injury is treated and the student returns
to the classroom.
Parents will be contacted at the
discretion of the school nurse depending on the severity of
the injury.
Serious injuries are assessed,
immediate first aid given, student is stabilized and entered
into the Emergency Medical System (911) followed by parent
contact.
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The school environment can be an
excellent medium for the rapid spread of illness.
Any child assessed in the Health Office
will be dismissed with the following symptoms:
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You, as the parent, are the best judge
of whether to send your child to school or keep them home.
A sick child cannot learn and has the potential to be
exposed to even more germs from school.
Your child should be kept home from
school if he/she have:
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A communicable disease
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Fever of 100 or more within the
last twenty-four hours. Your child should be fever free
for 24 hours before returning to school.
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Vomiting/ diarrhea within the last
twenty-four hours.
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Pain that requires the use of
narcotic medication.
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An upper respiratory illness with
significant coughing and/or nasal discharge.
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Your child may return to school after
an absence when:
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he/she have been on an antibiotic for twenty-four hours
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no vomiting/diarrhea for twenty-four hours
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fever free for twenty-four hours
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all chicken pox lesions have crusted over and evaluated
by the school nurse
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head assessment by the school nurse after head lice
treatment
A note from your physician is required
if your child has been absent for five or more consecutive
school days. The School Nurse is available to facilitate
transition back into the classroom and coordinate planning
for medications, treatments and equipment if needed.
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The School Nurse is always available
for consultation. Don’t hesitate to call for any question or
concerns and specifically for the following reasons:
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New medication or change in current
medication
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New medical diagnosis or a change
in health status
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Serious illness, injury or
hospitalization
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Fracture, sprain, cast or sutures
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Diagnosis of a contagious disease
such as strep throat, conjunctivitis, pertussis
(whooping cough), chicken pox, flu, head lice
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Changes within the family that may
impact the student while at school
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All children are required to
participate in physical education. Active participation is
important for students to achieve the benefits of the
program. It is understood that in some cases it would be
harmful for your child to be an active participant.
Teachers do not make any decisions regarding participation
in physical education. Exclusion from one physical
education class may be done at the discretion of the school
nurse. All inquiries should be directed to the nurse at
your child’s school
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A parent note is required and will excuse a child from
physical education for a maximum of one week.
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For a longer exclusion, a physician’s note is required
stating when the student may return to PE class.
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Any injury that requires a cast, crutches, ace wrap,
sling or splint will automatically exclude a child from
PE class. This includes any cast, splint etc. applied
by the parent.
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Participation in physical education can resume with a
note from the physician.
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If a child has asthma, allergies,
diabetes, seizures, attention deficit disorder, or any other
condition requiring special health care services in the
school and/or is assisted with medical technology, etc., it
is vital that the parent/guardian meet with the school nurse
and develop an Individual Health Care Plan prior to school
entry. Physician’s orders for care in the school will need
to be shared with the school nurse. For complex care
requiring a team approach, a team meeting before school
entry is recommended with the goal that services are in
place prior to the start of school so the child is ready to
learn.
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Medway Public Schools requires
parents/guardians to complete emergency contact information
every year. This is vital information that should be
updated whenever changes in contact information occur.
There is the potential for many
emergency circumstances. It is imperative that we be able
to contact you or your designee at all times
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The following are commonly used forms
in the Health Office. You may print these from the web site
for your convenience.
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Medication Log (parent and physician permission)
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