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Health-School Nurse

FOR PARENTS

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School Nurse Policies/Administration of Medication

Caswell County offers school health services, which includes school nursing. These services are essential for the health and well-being for our students. Nurses manage care and provide services to support and sustain school attendance and academic achievement.  A Student Data and Health Information form should be maintained in the office or health room.

Injuries at School

The teacher or other staff member responsible for the student at the time an injury occurs must complete an injury report with a copy to be sent home with the student.   With injuries needing immediate attention, parents will be notified by school personnel for the following but may not be limited to:

  • Injury where there is swelling, severe pain, or a question of a broken bone
  • Injury where there is significant bleeding or if bleeding does not stop in a short period of time.
  • Dental injury
  • Eye injury
  • Head injury
  • Animal/Human bites
  • Burns
  • Poisoning

Dietary Considerations

Students with special dietary needs should contact your school nurse or the school’s nutrition director to obtain the required specialized dietary form. This form must be completed and signed by your child’s physician.  In an effort to promote student wellness, Caswell County Schools does not allow “fast-food” promotion and packaging during student meals. If a meal from a fast food establishment is provided from home for a student’s meal/snack, it is the policy of Caswell County Schools that the food not be packaged in restaurant wrappers and/or containers.

Allergies/Anaphylaxis

All known allergies need to be reported on the Data and Student Health Form.   Parents of students with known life threatening allergies and/or history of anaphylaxis should provide the school with written instructions from the student’s health care provider for handling anaphylaxis emergencies in the school (ex: Allergy Action Plan, completed medication forms, and medications as ordered).  Per North Carolina law, should anyone on school grounds have an anaphylactic reaction to an UNKNOWN allergen, emergency Epinephrine is available and can be administered by trained school personnel.

Health Concerns/Illness

If your child is sick, DO NOT send the child to school until they are completely recovered.  If your child becomes ill at school, we will contact you immediately as we cannot keep sick children at school, exposing other children to their illness. Please make sure you update your contact information so that we may contact you.   If a parent cannot be reached, emergency contacts listed on the Data and Student Health Form will be contacted as needed for pick up.  Please do not list an emergency contact that does not have their own transportation.   Any student with a fever of 100.0 or greater will be sent home (no exceptions).  Student must be fever-free for 24 hours without the benefit of medications before returning to school. If a student has persistent nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea, they need to be picked up. Parents of children with identified chronic health conditions should contact the school nurse.  The nurse will develop a plan of care for the child with input from the parents, school personnel, and the student’s physician. This includes students with asthma, seizures, and allergies. Students with diagnosed diabetes must have a diabetic care plan in place at the beginning of the school year. Diabetic students will be sent home if blood sugar level is 400 or more or as directed by the individual care plan.  Certain conditions such as head lice, ringworm, conjunctivitis, scabies, etc. may require medical documentation of treatment.

**Schools do not have a sick room, so we insist that sick children be picked up as soon as possible.**

Head Lice  

School staff has the right to inspect heads of students at any time to check for lice and/or nits.   If a student is screened and found to have lice, parents of the student will be notified and instructions given regarding medical interventions.  If the student with lice has siblings in the school system, they will also be checked prior to contacting the parents by phone and/or letter explaining what needs to be done. It is not necessary for an entire classroom to be checked if a case of lice is found; it is only necessary for those children exhibiting symptoms of lice to be screened.   If live lice are found, the parent/guardian will be instructed on treatment guidelines and the student can remain at school. Two school days after a child has been found to have live lice, the school nurse or designated personnel should rescreen the children for the presence of live lice.

  • If only nits are seen on the hair strands, the student should be rescreened in 7-10 days.
  • If live lice are found, the school nurse will contact the parent/guardian at the end of the school day to discuss further treatment options. The parent/guardian may be requested to consult a healthcare provider for treatment options and a note from a healthcare provider may be required.
  • A letter to all class members WILL NOT be sent unless 10% or more of the classroom has been found to have live head lice.  It is up to the Health Director to determine if a letter home is necessary.
  • Absences related to treatment for head lice should not be excused.

Ringworm (tinea corporis)

The school nurse will screen students suspected with ringworm infection and refer questionable cases to the Caswell County Health Department or the student's usual medical provider.  Screening may also be done to classroom contacts of the student identified as having a ringworm infection. Nurses will notify the parent/guardian of the presence of ringworm and give instructions regarded needed interventions. The child should keep the ringworm lesion covered until rechecked and cleared by the school nurse in 5-7 school days.

  • If the ringworm infection is still active when rechecked by the school nurse the parent/guardian will be contacted at the end of the school day to discuss treatment options.
  • The parent/guardian may be requested to consult a healthcare provider for treatment options and a note from a health care provider may be required.

Absences related to treatment for ringworm should not be excused.

Health Screenings

Health screens will be conducted by the school nurse, hearing specialist, and dental hygienist selectively during the school year.  Health screening could include height, weight, body mass index, vision, dental, hearing, and blood pressure. Information regarding results and any need for a referral will be sent to the parent/guardian.

Should you choose for your child not to participate, please send a letter of refusal to the school nurse.

Immunizations/Kindergarten Health Requirements

The North Carolina State Immunization Law places the responsibility on the parents to provide immunization records for their children within 30 calendar days after enrolling in a NC public school.   Students must have the North Carolina Kindergarten Health Assessment Form turned in by the 30th calendar day from school enrollment or they will be suspended.  The form must be completed by a licensed medical provider within the past 12 months of the first day of school.

  

Medications at School: CCS Medication Administration Policy #422

It is the policy of CCS to discourage the administration of medications during the school day.   If medications are to be administered during the school day a Medication Authorization Form must be completed by the student’s medical provider and parent/guardian.  This form must be completed annually. This pertains to ALL MEDICATIONS including: prescription medication and over the counter (Tylenol, Benadryl, Ibuprofen, cough drops, sunscreen, lotions, etc.).  ALL MEDICATIONS ARE TO BE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL BY THE PARENT/GUARDIAN WITH THE MEDICATION AUTHORIZATION FORM COMPLETED! ***NO EXCEPTIONS***  Do not put the school administrator in the position of having to discipline your child due to this policy.  Asthma inhalers, emergency epinephrine, and insulin can be self-carried by the student if the Self-Carry Medication Form is completed by the medical provider, parent/guardian, student, and school nurse.

All medications will be dispensed by the school nurse or an authorized staff member and kept in a secured location.   All medication and health forms can be found at the school or on the Caswell County Schools website under the Health Services/Document Uploads section. Copies of the medication forms are attached to this handbook as well.   Notice will be given for medication pick up at the end of the school year.  All medications not picked up will be destroyed.

 

Garrett’s Law

Garrett’s law was enacted in 2004. It mandates schools provide parents and guardians with information about meningococcal meningitis and influenza and the vaccines that protect against these diseases.  The law was expanded in 2007 to mandate that information also be provided about human papillomavirus (HPV) and the vaccines available to protect against HPV. The following materials are attached to support this law:

Meningococcal Disease Fact Sheet

The Flu Fact Sheet

HPV-Get Vaccinated Sheet