Nursing

Mission

The mission of the Nursing Services Department is to promote, protect, advocate and improve the health status of all students, thus enabling each student to develop intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally.

Beliefs

• Optimizing the health of the Braintree Public School Community is our primary objective.

• All students will be encouraged and assisted to reach their maximum health potential so that he/she may attain high standards of achievement to learn and grow.

• Parents, in partnership with school health services, are an integral part of their child’s health including the identification of health concerns, the development of individual health care plans, and the coordination of services between home, school and community.

• Students and staff should maintain optimal health and wellness through the provision of direct nursing care, preventative health education and counseling/referral services.

• All students should acquire the knowledge, skill and motivation necessary to achieve and maintain lifelong optimal health and wellness.

Healthy Students Are Better Learners

Schools play a critical role in promoting the health and safety of young people and helping them establish lifelong healthy behaviors. Research has shown that school health programs can reduce the prevalence of health risk behaviors among young people and have a positive effect on academic performance.

As a team the guidance, health and wellness and nursing departments work closely to develop and provide educational programs, resources, supports and evidence based healthcare services.

Student Health Records

An individual health record is kept on file for each student throughout his or her school career. This record includes a health history, immunizations, and physical exams, screening results, health office visits and medication administration logs. Parents are asked to communicate directly with the school nurse about student health concerns, medical reports and/or issues. Student health records are strictly confidential and information will only be shared with other staff members with the expressed permission of the parents.

Individual Health Care Plans

When a student has a specialized medical need or diagnosis which must be assessed, managed, and monitored during school, such as asthma, a life threatening allergy, or diabetes, the nurse in collaboration with the parent will make an IHCP. This plan is based on the student’s individual need, medical history, and physician’s order. The IHCP is then reviewed, signed by the nurse, parent and physician (when necessary) and then shared with appropriate staff to ensure optimal integration of the student’s health needs into the school setting. In some instances, an emergency medical plan is also developed to expedite identification and treatment of a student with a life-threatening diagnosis.

When to Keep Your Child Home From School

• If your child has a fever of 100.0ºF or above.

• If your child has a contagious illness such as chicken pox, strep throat, or flu.

• If your child has a skin rash or condition not yet diagnosed by a physician.

• If your child is vomiting or has diarrhea.

• If your child’s eye is pink or red, itchy and/or drainage from the eye is present.

• If your child has an active case of head lice.

FYI

• If your child becomes ill while at school, every attempt will be made to contact a parent to make arrangements to take the child home.

• Injuries at school, if severe, will be handled as an emergency situation and local EMS will be called to take your child to the most appropriate receiving hospital. Parents will be notified immediately if an ambulance is called.

• If your child needs to be excused from physical education class, notification in writing is mandatory from both parent and physician. Written documentation is required for return to physical education class as well.

• Parents are expected to keep emergency contact numbers up to date. If the information for yourself or other emergency contacts changes, please notify the school nurse immediately.

Medication Policy

Braintree Public Schools policy requires that a parent/guardian and a licensed provider (either a physician or nurse practitioner) sign consent for medications (including inhalers) to be given by the nurse during school hours.

• All medications must be brought to school by a parent/guardian or designated adult in the original labeled container from the pharmacy.

• An individual medication plan will be developed and must be signed by both parent/guardian and nurse. Only a 30-day supply of medication may be kept at school. No child is permitted to bring medications to school or carry medication in school with the exception of an inhaler, Epinephrine auto injector or if wearing an insulin delivery system (pump). Students may carry their own inhaler &/or Epinephrine auto injector and/or insulin delivery system only after contacting the school nurse and providing a physician medication order form and parental permission form. Call your school nurse for more information.

• For short-term medications (less than 10 days), such as antibiotics, parental consent is required. However, the prescription on the bottle is sufficient for physician consent.