SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES

SCHOOL NURSE RESPONSIBILITIES

• On top of overseeing the health technicians at various schools, she is also responsible for:
• C.P.R. training for students and employees of the district.
• State Mandated vision, hearing and scoliosis screening. Vision Testing is mandatory for kindergarteners or first graders, third, fifth, eighth and tenth graders. Hearing Testing is mandatory for kindergarteners or first graders, second, fifth, eighth and tenth graders.
• Dispensing student medication
• Monitoring of disabled students needs
• Training of staff for use of EPI-Pen
• An EPI-Pen contains an "Active ingredient, epinephrine. Injection of epinephrine is the treatment of choice for allergic emergencies (anaphylactic reactions) because it quickly constricts blood vessels, relaxes smooth muscles in the lungs to improve breathing, stimulates the heartbeat, and works to reverse hives and swelling around the face and lips (angioedema)." Each staff member is to be trained prior to be ìcertifiedî to use the EPI-Pen. As of today, there are only two people in Altimera School, which can officially use the EPI-Pen.
• Teach about air and blood borne pathogens
• Teaches Family Life to fifth graders
• Performs TB skin testing for school employees.

HEALTH TECHNICIAN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Administering medications (Every child that has to take any type of medication on school grounds, and during school hours, need to take them to the health office. The health tech, or school nurse (if present) will administer these meds to the child).
• Administer first aid and assess physical complaints of students as necessary
• Contacting parents as necessary
• Immunization documentation and follow-up

IMMUNIZATION GUIDELINES

According to the Health and Safety Code Sections 120325-120375; California Administrative Code, Title 17, Sections 6000-6075, "To enter or transfer into public and private elementary and secondary schools (grades kindergarten through 12), children under age 18 years must have immunizations as outlined." Not only are immunizations the law, but are also major health risks if not taken seriously. The parents are given a "Notice of Immunizations Needed", which states all the immunizations that the child has not had and is suppose to receive. Just recently, seventh graders were required to get their Hepatitis B immunization shots. Starting the 1999-2000 school year, ìStudents entering seventh grade need a three-shot hepatitis B series and a second measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) shot. To complete the Hepatitis B series, seventh graders will need to schedule three visits to their doctors' offices over a four to six month period. Students who have not started the three series of shots will not be eligible to enroll in school this fall.î (California Department of Health Services, 9/4/99) 

 --Antonette Vergel de Dios