Nurse's Corner
Head Nurse, Betsy Mullings, R.N.
The Elementary School has a registered nurse available at all times for student concerns.
Health Information:
Student health information is a type of student record that is particularly sensitive and protected by numerous state and federal laws. Student health information shall be protected from unauthorized, illegal or inappropriate disclosure by adherence to the principles of confidentiality and privacy. The information shall be protected regardless whether the information is received orally, in writing or electronically and regardless of the type of record or method of storage.
Parents can increase their child's effectiveness in school by providing good nutrition, adequate rest, cleanliness, medical and dental care. Physical and dental examinations are not required for students each school year, but are essential for prevention, early identification, and intervention of health problems.
Special Health Problems
Special health problems or needs of a student should reported to the school nurse at the beginning of the school year or when they arise. Special problems would include, but are not limited to: vision, hearing, diabetes, recent surgery, or anything health related that will affect the student.
Immunizations
In accordance with Missouri Law, students cannot attend school without providing satisfactory evidence of immunization, unless they are exempted from immunization.
The district will not allow a student to attend school until the district has satisfactory evidence on file that the student is exempted from obtaining immunizations in accordance with law.
A student is exempted from obtaining immunizations if the district has on file the completed forms necessary to prove that the student will not be immunized for religious or medical reasons. An exemption for medical reasons requires certification by a licensed doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy that either the immunization would seriously endanger the child's health or life or that the child has documentation of laboratory evidence of immunity to the disease. An exemption for religious reasons requires written certification from one (1) parent or guardian that immunization of the student violates his or her religious beliefs.
Head Lice
Head checks for lice and nits will be done at the beginning of each semester, and periodically as needed. Any student found with nits or lice will not be allowed to return to class until they are treated and ALL nits are removed. Students will be rechecked before being allowed to return to class.
ADMINISTERING MEDICATION TO STUDENTS
All medication is to be left in the nurse's office at all times except those that have been pre-approved (i.e. bronchial inhaler). Medications will be administered in the nurse's office. Medications (prescription and non-prescription) must be sent in the original container labeled with the students name and current date. Only the number of doses of medication to be given at school should be sent to school. (Pharmacies will provide as extra labeled container upon request, usually at no charge.) All medications sent to school needs a medication permit or a note with the following: 1) parent or guardian signature, 2) name of medicine, 3) amount to be given, 4) when it is to be given, 5) doctor's name, 6) any side effects, 7) date, and 8) parent or guardian signature. If a note is not sent with the medicine, or the medicine is not properly labeled, it will not be given. Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be given at school by the school nurse or trained designee according to standing orders and protocols, upon written authorization of the parent/guardian.
Self-Administration of Medicine
A physician may recommend that an individual student with a chronic health condition, such as asthma or other potentially life-threatening respiratory illness, assume responsibility for his or her own medication as part learning self-care. The Board may permit such a student to self-administer medication by way of a metered dose inhaler, provided that the following conditions have been met:
A. The parents/guardians of the student must provide the Board with written authorization for the self-administration of medication, a written medical history of the student's experience with the respiratory illness, and a plan of action for addressing any emergency situations that could reasonable be anticipated as a consequence of administering the medication and having the illness.
B. The parents/guardians of the student must provide the Board with written authorization from the student's physician that the student has asthma or other potentially life-threatening respiratory illness, and the student is capable of and has been instructed in the proper method of self-administering the medication and has been informed of the dangers of permitting others to use the student's medication.
C. The Board must inform the parents/guardians of the student, in writing, that the district and its employees or agents shall incur no liability as a result of any injury arising from the self-administration by the student, absent any negligence by the district, its employees or agents; or a a result of providing all of the above mentioned relevant information the the school nurse, absent any negligence by the district, its employees or agents or in the absence of a school nurse, to the school administrator.
D. The parents/guardians of the student must sign a statement acknowledging that the district shall incur no liability as a result of any injury arising from the student's self-administration of medication, and that the parents/guardians shall indemnify and hold harmless the district and its employees or agents against any claims arising out of the student's self-administration of medication. Permission for the student to self administer medication for asthma or other potentially life-threatening respiratory illness is effective for the school year for which it is granted and is renewed for each subsequent school year upon meeting the conditions set forth above.
Guidelines for Health Situations
The following are guidelines regarding medications at school and medical situations that would require students to be absent from school. We strongly encourage you to follow these guidelines to help us maintain a healthy school environment. We request that you keep your child home from school if he or she has any of the following symptoms:
- Elevated temperature (greater than 100.0 degrees)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Any symptoms related to contagious disease (ex. Skin rash, red and/or draining eyes, persistent cough, head lice, scabies).
Pleasant Hope School District has a "NO NIT" policy. Students will be sent home if they come to school with these symptoms.
A student who has a temperature is not allowed to return to school until he/she has been without fever for 24 hours (without taking fever-reducing medicine). A student who is on antibiotics needs to be on their medication 24 hours before returning to school. Pleasant Hope School District follows the guidelines of the "Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases" published by the Missouri Department of Health.
MEDICATION
If a student does not need to take medication at school, it must be brought to school by a parent or a responsible adult. Medication is prohibited on the bus. Prescription medicine must be in a properly labeled container from the pharmacy. All medications, prescription and over-the-counter medicine, must come in the original container with a medication form, or a note from the parent/guardian. Any medication not sent in a properly labeled container will not be given and discard.
ACCIDENTS OR ILLNESS
In the event of minor injury or illness, the school nurse or trained designee will administer first aid. If a child requires additional medical attention, the parent or guardian will be notified immediately by the nurse or principal. The parent or guardian will be responsible if additional care is needed. In the event that a delay is judged to be potentially detrimental to the child's welfare, and a parent or guardian cannot be reached, an emergency medical service will be contacted to provide treatment and transportation to the hospital if needed.
Providing transportation and adult supervision for a child needing to be sent home for sickness or injury is the responsibility of the parent or guardian. If they are unavailable, then they must secure transportation and supervision by a responsible adult. No sick or injured child will be transported to his home alone or with another pupil. In all cases, a responsible adult will accompany the child.
We request that you keep your child at home if he or she has any of the following problems:
--An elevated temperature (a child who is at home with a temperature is not allowed to return to school until he/she has been without fever for 24 hours)
--Vomiting (within at least the last 8 hours)
--Symptoms related to a contagious disease (skin rash, redness of eyes, swollen glands)
--Nausea --Diarrhea -- Head Lice
Children will be sent home if they come to school with these symptoms.
