Mini Clinics
MS(N) student and RN, Linda Evans is the first line of defense for many of the students attending Hickman High School in Columbia, Mo. Hickman is the largest high school in the state with more than 2100 students.
If independence and self-direction are essential for a school nurse, Linda Evans sets the perfect example. Evans is the RN for the largest high school in the state of Missouri. She oversees the more than 2,100 students enrolled at Hickman High School, in Columbia, Mo.
"I love working with the older students," the 12-year Hickman veteran and current MS(N) student says. "These students have such a maturity about them, and we are moving them to adulthood, which means more independence."
During these uncertain times when all areas of government are facing economic challenges, public school systems across the nation are also feeling the pinch. Administrators and school boards are making tough decisions regarding our children's education. This includes deciding if school nurses will stay on staff.
Even without the tight economic times, Evans admits that the nurse's office is much like a small clinic.
"Many families who don't have health care or have been laid off tell their children to go to the school nurse," Evans says. "I use my nursing assessment and critical-thinking skills every day."
These skills are acquired through the nursing education RNs obtain when they go through a baccalaureate program (BSN). Not that LPNs, and first-aid trained individuals aren't an important part of the puzzle, they are; however, the BSN- or MS-prepared nurses' skill set is essential to the health of our children.
Federal guidelines state that the optimum nurse-to-student ratio is 1 to 750; and although Columbia Public Schools are fairly close to that guideline, they still haven't achieved that goal. In 2006, almost half the schools in the nation (55%) fell short of the federally recommended nurse-to-student ratio, a Center for Disease Control prevention survey showed.
Research is now being published that shows a correlation between having an RN on staff and increased student attendance.
"First-aid providers can only call the parents," says Atkins. "An RN can assess the student and decide if they can stay in the classroom and keep learning."
continued...Increased Liability