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Striving for an A+ on student health
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By Angie Hutschreider
angieh@newstribune.com
As children prepare to head back to school, school nurses are working to make sure it will be a safe and healthy school year for everyone once again.
Jefferson City Public Schools Lead Elementary School Nurse Jeanie Rademan said the preparations in health rooms across the district begin about two weeks before school starts.
“We start going through records to make sure the immunizations are up to date and we go over any new health information that comes in during registration,” she said.
Rademan said parents are key in making sure any health needs the child has are known to the school.
“At registration, each parent fills out a health assessment form for each student,” she said. “We want to make sure immunizations are up to date and that we are also aware of any health changes a student may have had.
“The information on the forms helps us out a lot and ultimately helps us care for that student.”
Any students with a health concern that may require medications or care at school is red-flagged and a meeting is arranged between the parents, nurse, principal and the child's teacher. Other school officials are involved as deemed necessary.
“We want to talk about doctors' orders so we make sure we are following them,” Rademan noted. “It is about us knowing what the parents do and everyone at the school knowing the needs of that child.”
Each school also develops a health problems list that is distributed to teachers, cafeteria and support staff.
Actions plans are established for children who have serious medical conditions or severe allergies. “The bottom line is we want to make sure the students are safe and healthy while they are here and we need to know about allergies and health concerns so we can do our part,” Rademan said.
Rademan said that throughout the school year it is not uncommon for a student or their parent to be confused about the schools' medication policy.
“We must have a completed medication form on file for the medication a child brings to school whether it is a prescription or over-the-counter medication,” she said.
Rademan also stressed that all medications must be brought in, in the original packing and be clearly labeled with a student's name. She also noted that prescriptions are viewed as doctors orders so the dosing information on the prescription is what they will follow.
“If there is a change made by the doctor on the prescription, we must have proof from the physician that the order has been changed,” Rademan said.
A medical permission form also is needed for prescription medications and even for cough drops. It is also asked that a parent bring in the medication or call the school to alert them to the fact that the child has medication that needs to be turned into the health room.
Rademan said all medications can be given at the schools throughout the district, except intravenous medications.
“We have some students who do take some medications considered to be a narcotic,” she said. “With doctors' orders we also give those. All medications - whether they are considered to be narcotics or not - are kept locked at all times.”
Rademan cautioned parents of younger students to try to send any over-the-counter medications in children's strength.
“We request and prefer parents send children's strength over-the-counter medications because if they ask for a dose larger than recommended or if we feel the dose may be unusual we will have to request a doctor's order for the medication,” she explained.
Medication that a student is prescribed to take three times a day should not be taken at school. But according to Rademan, the district asks the students receive the medication before school, after school then before bedtime.
“If we can avoid having a child take or bring medication to school, it is a big help for all involved,” she said.
Rademan said chances are parents will get a call at some point telling them their child is sick at school.
“Children are sent home typically because they have a temperature, are vomiting or have diarrhea,” she said.
A child can return to school 24 hours after they have stopped vomiting, the diarrhea has ended or they are fever free.
“If you child is still running a fever but you give them Tylenol to bring it down, that does not make them symptom free,” Rademan said. “And in cases like that the child should not be at school.
“Typically if a child gets sent home from school they will miss the following day because they would not have been symptom free for 24 hours.”
The only school board policies pertaining to physical exams for students is for athletes. The policy reads “Any child participating in interscholastic sports is required to have a completed physical prior to participation according to Missouri State Athletic Association guidelines dated after June 1.”
The policy does recommend physical exams for students entering kindergarten, third, sixth and ninth grades. Dental exams are recommended yearly.
Rademan said it typically is an easy process to care for the child if they become sick or injured once they are at school. But she said parents need to make sure the child's immunizations are up to date or the child will not be allowed at school.
“If a child is not up to date or in progress of getting up to date on immunizations then they cannot be at school until they are,” she said.
A child can be granted exemption from the immunizations for religious reasons or medical reasons. Religious exemptions must be updated yearly. Medical exemptions do not have to be.
If a child has started their immunizations but learned they were already behind, they will be allowed at school as long as the physician or health department fills out an “in progress” card.
The card also will display the next appointment, which Rademan said helps her and the other nurses stay on top of the child's current immunizations.
Completed immunization records and birth certificate should be brought to registration for every student.
Jefferson City Public Schools Lead Elementary School Nurse Jeanie Rademan said the preparations in health rooms across the district begin about two weeks before school starts.
“We start going through records to make sure the immunizations are up to date and we go over any new health information that comes in during registration,” she said.
Rademan said parents are key in making sure any health needs the child has are known to the school.
“At registration, each parent fills out a health assessment form for each student,” she said. “We want to make sure immunizations are up to date and that we are also aware of any health changes a student may have had.
“The information on the forms helps us out a lot and ultimately helps us care for that student.”
Any students with a health concern that may require medications or care at school is red-flagged and a meeting is arranged between the parents, nurse, principal and the child's teacher. Other school officials are involved as deemed necessary.
“We want to talk about doctors' orders so we make sure we are following them,” Rademan noted. “It is about us knowing what the parents do and everyone at the school knowing the needs of that child.”
Each school also develops a health problems list that is distributed to teachers, cafeteria and support staff.
Actions plans are established for children who have serious medical conditions or severe allergies. “The bottom line is we want to make sure the students are safe and healthy while they are here and we need to know about allergies and health concerns so we can do our part,” Rademan said.
Rademan said that throughout the school year it is not uncommon for a student or their parent to be confused about the schools' medication policy.
“We must have a completed medication form on file for the medication a child brings to school whether it is a prescription or over-the-counter medication,” she said.
Rademan also stressed that all medications must be brought in, in the original packing and be clearly labeled with a student's name. She also noted that prescriptions are viewed as doctors orders so the dosing information on the prescription is what they will follow.
“If there is a change made by the doctor on the prescription, we must have proof from the physician that the order has been changed,” Rademan said.
A medical permission form also is needed for prescription medications and even for cough drops. It is also asked that a parent bring in the medication or call the school to alert them to the fact that the child has medication that needs to be turned into the health room.
Rademan said all medications can be given at the schools throughout the district, except intravenous medications.
“We have some students who do take some medications considered to be a narcotic,” she said. “With doctors' orders we also give those. All medications - whether they are considered to be narcotics or not - are kept locked at all times.”
Rademan cautioned parents of younger students to try to send any over-the-counter medications in children's strength.
“We request and prefer parents send children's strength over-the-counter medications because if they ask for a dose larger than recommended or if we feel the dose may be unusual we will have to request a doctor's order for the medication,” she explained.
Medication that a student is prescribed to take three times a day should not be taken at school. But according to Rademan, the district asks the students receive the medication before school, after school then before bedtime.
“If we can avoid having a child take or bring medication to school, it is a big help for all involved,” she said.
Rademan said chances are parents will get a call at some point telling them their child is sick at school.
“Children are sent home typically because they have a temperature, are vomiting or have diarrhea,” she said.
A child can return to school 24 hours after they have stopped vomiting, the diarrhea has ended or they are fever free.
“If you child is still running a fever but you give them Tylenol to bring it down, that does not make them symptom free,” Rademan said. “And in cases like that the child should not be at school.
“Typically if a child gets sent home from school they will miss the following day because they would not have been symptom free for 24 hours.”
The only school board policies pertaining to physical exams for students is for athletes. The policy reads “Any child participating in interscholastic sports is required to have a completed physical prior to participation according to Missouri State Athletic Association guidelines dated after June 1.”
The policy does recommend physical exams for students entering kindergarten, third, sixth and ninth grades. Dental exams are recommended yearly.
Rademan said it typically is an easy process to care for the child if they become sick or injured once they are at school. But she said parents need to make sure the child's immunizations are up to date or the child will not be allowed at school.
“If a child is not up to date or in progress of getting up to date on immunizations then they cannot be at school until they are,” she said.
A child can be granted exemption from the immunizations for religious reasons or medical reasons. Religious exemptions must be updated yearly. Medical exemptions do not have to be.
If a child has started their immunizations but learned they were already behind, they will be allowed at school as long as the physician or health department fills out an “in progress” card.
The card also will display the next appointment, which Rademan said helps her and the other nurses stay on top of the child's current immunizations.
Completed immunization records and birth certificate should be brought to registration for every student.
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