Student Health

 

School Nurse Consultant

 


Amber Norwood, BSN, RN

Office: (303) 519-3923
email: [email protected]

Nurse Consultant Role

School Nurse Consultants can manage students with significant health concerns at individual schools, including elementary, secondary, charter, preschools, before and after child care programs, summer sessions and ChildFind. The goal of the School Nurse Consultant is to work closely with parents, health care providers, school staff and others to coordinate the health care of the student. One-time health issues are handled by either the School Nurse Consultant assigned to your school or a regional on-call triage nurse who directs each situation to the appropriate nursing staff member. School Nurse Consultants also provide direct services as needed by training and delegating to personnel working with students identified as having complex medical needs.

 

School Health Assistant

 


Deidre Motys

Office: (303)387-6482
Email: dmotys1@dcsdk12.org

Health Assistant Role

Most schools have an identified person, called the Health Assistant, who carries out the medical duties for a limited time during the day. Other office staff members help fill this role in the absence of the Health Assistant. The Health Services Department provides oversight of the health assistants and other school personnel who are available to respond to the immediate health needs of students.

Typically, Health Assistants and other office staff members are not medical professionals. School Nurse Consultants provide general training and safety plans involving first aid training and the care of sick children who come to the classroom teacher or office staff with a health need. The office staff is also supplied with a Health Guidelines Manual that specifies actions for a variety of medical situations.

Guidelines for Determining Student Attendance

Per District guidelines, a student will generally be sent home if they exhibit any of the following:

  • skin eruptions/rashes
  • nausea / vomiting / diarrhea
  • severe abdominal pain
  • fever of 100 degrees or higher
  • eye drainage

Other conditions/behaviors for possible illness and that are considered when determining illness

  • decreased activity
  • droopy, tired appearance
  • irritable or unusual behavior
  • sore throat / swollen glands
  • runny nose/cough

When can a child return to school?

After 24 hours of medication for the following conditions:

  • Strep throat
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Infected skin eruptions
  • Other conditions requiring antibiotics

The student has been free of the following conditions for at least 24 hours:

  • Fever
  • Eye drainage

The student has been free of the following conditions for at least 48 hours:

  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting

Medication Policy

Medicines

Administering Medicines To Students

In general, school personnel should not administer medication to students at school unless clearly necessary and where appropriate administration cannot reasonably be accomplished outside of school hours. The parent or guardian shall be responsible for providing all medication to be administered to a student.

Prescription medication will be administered to students at school only on the specific written request of the student's parent or guardian and with the written authorization of the student's physician. The parent or guardian must execute a full release of the District and its personnel from claims arising out of the administration of the medication. The required authorization and release is encompassed in the Request to Administer Medication at School and Release Agreement and Physician's Signed Order (File: JLCD- E-1), which must be completed by the parent or guardian, for each medication or change of medication the parent wishes to have administered to the student.

Medication (neither prescription nor over the counter) may not be carried during the school day by elementary school students unless there is an extreme need that is documented by the student's physician.

Special Considerations for Asthma and Anaphylaxis

Notwithstanding the above, a student with Asthma, severe allergies, or another related, life-threatening condition may possess and self-administer medication as provided in an approved treatment plan developed in accordance with the Colorado School Children's Asthma and Anaphylaxis Health Management Act.

Adopted: Revised: Revised: Revised: October 1, 1991, April 7, 1998, to conform with current law July 20, 1999, June 21, 2005, to conform with current law

LEGAL REFS.: C.R.S. 22-1-119

Douglas County School District Re. 1, Castle Rock, Colorado

Immunization

Immunizations are an important part of our children's health care, and Colorado law requires that children going to school be vaccinated to prevent vaccine-preventable disease.

Schools work hard to ensure compliance with the immunization laws. Your help in providing updated immunization records at school registration and when your child receives additional vaccine(s) is greatly appreciated. Please discuss your child's vaccination needs with your child's doctor or local public health agency. Please bring your child's updated immunization records to the school each time your child receives an immunization.

Parents who have religious or personal objections to immunizations, or students who have a medical reason for exemption, may sign a form at the student's school. Students who have exemptions will be excluded from school if an outbreak of a specified common disease.

For further information on district immunization requirements, here.

Medication Forms & Information

Medication

Medication