Mission Statement
As a department within Montgomery Public Schools, Coordinated School Health Services promote a comprehensive school health program designed to appraise, protect, and promote the health of students. We believe that good health is a prerequisite to learning. The Coordinated School Health Services Department is designed to:
- Assure access and/or referral to primary health care services
- Foster appropriate use of primary health care services
- Prevent and control communicable diseases and other health conditions
- Manage chronic disease
- Provide emergency care for illness or injury
- Promote and provide optimum sanitary conditions for a safe school facility
- Provide education and counseling opportunities for the promotion and maintenance of individual, family and community health.
Procedures for Administering Prescription Medication to Students
1. All prescription medication must be registered in the school office.
2. A school employee, specially trained to assist with medications, will supervise the taking of prescription medication when the School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization has been completed (See page 24). Note: This form must be completed by the parent/guardian and the prescribing physician before school personnel can assist with medication.
3. The current prescription bottle must be labeled with the child’s name and must indicate specific directions. The time to be given must be a specific time (for example, noon, 11 a.m., etc.) during the school day. Samples from doctors are acceptable but must be accompanied by doctor’s written orders to administer, including the child’s name, name of medication, and the time and amount to be taken.
4. Changes in medication or medication dosage will require a new School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization form and a new prescription bottle.
5. School employees will not assume responsibility for supervising the taking of nonprescription medication or over the counter (OTC) medications. OTCs will not be administered at school unless the medication is prescribed by a doctor or clinic and the medication is in a prescription bottle with the same directions required for prescriptions. A School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization form must be completed.
6. It is recommended that all medication be delivered to the school office by the parent/guardian, accompanied by a statement from the parent/guardian indicating pill count. If the student brings the medication, it should be accompanied by a statement from the parent/guardian verifying pill count.
7. Medication will be dispensed as specified until the parent requests, in writing, to discontinue or until the supply is depleted.
8. Parents/guardians are responsible for picking up any remaining medication at the end of the school term or may request in writing that the medication be sent home with the student on the last day of the school term. Any medication left at the school following the last day of the school term will be disposed of without notification to the parent.
Services Model
Realizing that today’s students, families and the communities from which they come are dealing with more diverse challenges in today’s society, to assure healthy development, we strive to accommodate for all of these needs. As the physical and emotional health care needs of school aged children continue to grow in our community, our department works toward building the department structure in accordance with the Coordinated School Health Program model, designed by CDC in 1994. The model reflects all of the available health resources within a school setting to allow students to gain the most from each. By coordinating with these departments and/or disciplines we can impact students most efficiently.
Services Provided
- Identify students with special health care needs in assigned school(s).
- Assess health status of student(s) with health care needs. Gather pertinent data such as physician orders and discuss with parents their child’s health care status.
- Devise health care plan for student to provide for the students health concerns during the school day. The plan should be individualized and updated as needed.
- Provide direct nursing services to students in assigned school(s) to include emergency medication administration, diabetes monitoring, insulin administration, urinary catheterization, tracheostomy care and suctioning, etc.
- Provide staff training regarding standard precautions on an annual basis.
- Conduct health screenings: Vision, Hearing, Dental, Scoliosis, Height & Weight, Other screenings as needed.
- Implement and monitor student compliance with state immunization laws.
- Serve on special education multidiscplinary team(s) that provide health assessments, interprets medical data and helps write objectives for the health components of IEPs and section 504 plans.
- Evaluate and monitor communicable and nuisance diseases.
- Conduct health related classroom presentations (hygiene, safety, germs, dental, etc.)
- Monitor school personnel assisting students with medication and document accordingly.
- Serve as resource for school staff, students and parents related to health issues.
- Liaison for home and school health concerns.
- Participate in parent-nurse conferences.
- Make referrals to appropriate primary health care providers and community agencies.
- Participate in professional conferences with community agendas.
- Serve as a resource person for community agencies.
- Provide promotional activities for health care and wellness in the schools.
Staffing
The department is staffed with licensed practical nurses and registered nurses. The practical nurse works under the supervision of the RN assigned to the school. School nurses have very diverse roles as the health professional in their school. See job descriptions. School nurses have the opportunity to directly impact the health of the students in their school as well as that of the faculty and staff by educating them in health behaviors as well as providing direct services.
Some nurses will be assigned to a single school full-time; others will visit multiple schools on a rotating basis. Assignments change as the needs of our students change.
The following schools are currently assigned a full-time nurse:
- Baldwin Arts & Academic Magnet (6-8)
- Bear Exploration Center for Mathematics, Science & Technology (K-5)
- Bellingrath Jr. High (7-9)
- Blount Elementary (K-6)
- Brewbaker Primary (K-3)
- Brewbaker Intermediate (4-6)
- Brewbaker Jr. High ( 7-9)
- Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School (9-12)
- Capitol Heights Jr. High (7-9)
- Carver Sr. High (9-12)
- Chisholm Elementary (K-6)
- Crump Elementary (K-6)
- Dalraida Elementary ( K-6)
- Dannelly Elementary ( K-6)
- Dozier Elementary (K-6)
- Fitzpatrick Elementary (K-6)
- Floyd Middle School for Mathematics, Science & Technology (6-8)
- Georgia Washington Junior High (7-9)
- Goodwyn Jr. High (7-9)
- Halcyon Elementary (K-6)
- Head Elementary (K-6)
- Highland Gardens Elementary (K-6)
- Jefferson Davis Sr. High (10-12)
- King Elementary (K-5)
- Lanier Sr. High (10-12)
- Lee Sr. High (10-12)
- Southlawn Elementary ( K-5)
- Vaughn Road Elementary (K-6)