Agenda - 03-28-2001-1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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School Nurse Deployment Proposal Page 2 Today, schools are serving more medically complex children than ever before. More children are taking more medications than in the past. When there is no school nurse on site, it is a challenge to ensure that the right children are getting the correct medications in the correct amount and for the desired period of time. For the most medically complex children, there is a need for skilled nursing services like tube feedings, catheterizations, nebulizer treatments and the like. These factors are not imaginary for our school systems. One example can be seen with asthma. A survey to determine asthma prevalence and risk factors was conducted during the 1999 -2000 school year in 7th and 8th grades by the, North. Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. In Orange County the survey found that nearly one - quarter (24.1 %) of the children surveyed either were already diagnosed with asthma or experienced undiagnosed wheezing symptoms. Translated into real numbers that means that of the 1900 children surveyed, 458 of them experience asthma or asthm a -like symptol-ns. Compared to statewide figures, this is only slightly lower than the average of 27% across the state. Eight percent of those children reported missing school for one -half or more days per month because of wheezing or breathing problems. Fourteen percent (about 266) carry inhalers that they may use less than once a month or almost daily. In addition, children in both school districts take a variety of medications or experience chronic health conditions. All of these situations require monitoring on a frequent basis. Overall, service statistics reported by school nurses in both systems show the following: *Not a total number, only those by school nurse These statistics show that school nurses are "first -line" health services for children in both our school systems. CURRENT STRUCTURE OF. SCHOOL NURSING SERVICES The majority of nurses in both school systems are hired and supervised by each school system. Chapel Hill - Carrboro School System employs eight school nurses (not all full - time) for thirteen. schools and the Orange County School System employs seven full - time school nurses for ten schools. The Orange County Health Department employs two full -time Public Health Nurse I's as school nurses and one part-time (50 %) School Health Aide. One health department nurse is assigned to the Chapel Hill - Carrboro School System full -time and one nurse is assigned to the Orange County School System 40% time. The remaining 60% time for that nurse is assigned to the Hepatitis B Immunization Program for sixth and twelfth graders in both school systems. The school OCS CHCCS .Total Medications authorized to be given at school 946 870 1816 Students with known chronic health' conditions 11.18 1628 2746 First aid /iniuries managed by school nurse* 5992 5660 11652 Health education sessions* 217 210 427 *Not a total number, only those by school nurse These statistics show that school nurses are "first -line" health services for children in both our school systems. CURRENT STRUCTURE OF. SCHOOL NURSING SERVICES The majority of nurses in both school systems are hired and supervised by each school system. Chapel Hill - Carrboro School System employs eight school nurses (not all full - time) for thirteen. schools and the Orange County School System employs seven full - time school nurses for ten schools. The Orange County Health Department employs two full -time Public Health Nurse I's as school nurses and one part-time (50 %) School Health Aide. One health department nurse is assigned to the Chapel Hill - Carrboro School System full -time and one nurse is assigned to the Orange County School System 40% time. The remaining 60% time for that nurse is assigned to the Hepatitis B Immunization Program for sixth and twelfth graders in both school systems. The school