Student Health Services

Your School Nurse
Physical Exams/Dental Exams/Health Screenings
Immunizations
Medications at School
When to Keep Your Child Home
First Aid/Emergency Treatment
Communicable Diseases
Transportation of Ill or Injured Students
Forms
Resources 

The Colonial School District Student Health Services provides services to the district’s schools and to several private and parochial schools, which are located in the township. Health services staff is assigned to schools in accordance with the needs of the school and student enrollment.

Health suites are staffed by certified school nurses, staff nurses, and health secretaries. The staff nurses and secretaries work at the direction of the certified school nurse. Colonial School District also provides health services to non-public schools in the Plymouth, Whitemarsh, and Conshohocken areas. Some of their duties consist of the following:

·         Assess individual student health and developmental status
·         Conduct state mandated physicals and screenings, e.g., height, weight, vision, hearing, body mass index, scoliosis
·         Assure that necessary physical and dental examinations are completed
·         Develop health plans for students with health conditions
·         Coordinate prevention and control of communicable disease
·         Develop a system of first aid and emergency care
·         Participate in health education
·         Recommend new and updated health policies

Please refer to Colonial School District’s School Health Services Handbook

Your School Nurse

Certified School Nurses (CSN) are responsible for the state mandated health services in the Colonial School District schools.  They are registered nurses with baccalaureate degrees and additional educational requirements. They are certified by the Department of Education and have extensive background in school health, health education, counseling, and the use of community resources. The nurses are a part of the Office of Pupil Services which also includes school psychologists, guidance counselors, the home and school visitor, and the behavioral health advisor.

In addition to state mandated responsibilities, the school nurse is actively involved in Child Study Teams, Student Assistant Teams, crisis intervention, and assisting students to recognize and address a variety of health problems.

Certified School Nurses (CSN, RN) may be assigned to more than one school.  Staff Health Room Nurses (RN) assist the Certified School Nurse and cover the building when the certified nurse is at another building.

Physical Exams/Dental Exams/Health Screenings

Pennsylvania requires a complete physical examination upon entrance into school (kindergarten or first grade), and in grades six and eleven. Dental exams are also required upon entrance into school and in grades three and seven. Students new to Pennsylvania schools must have a physical and dental exam if the student's record does not meet Pennsylvania requirements.

Parents are urged to take their children to their own physician for examinations to provide continuity of care. Your family physician is familiar with your child and is better able to detect any physical change, to follow through with needed care, and immunization boosters.

If desired, the school doctor can perform the needed physical examination. There is no fee for a school exam. If you would like your child to receive the exam from the school doctor, please contact your school nurse.

The following chart may assist you in keeping track of health screenings.

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Physical Exam*

X

X

X

Dental Exam*

X

X

X

Vision Screening

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Hearing Screening

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Height & Weight

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Scoliosis Screen

X

X

Body Mass Index

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

* or upon original school entry or if transferring from another school and the required exams were not received

Immunizations

Immunizations Required by PA State Law 
  

FOR ATTENDANCE IN ALL GRADES in 2010/2011 children need the following:
 

·         4 doses of tetanus *                  

(1 dose on or after the 4^th birthday)

·         4 doses of diphtheria *                          

(1 dose on or after the 4^th birthday)

·         3 doses of polio

·         2 doses of measles **

·         2 dose of mumps  **                 

·         1 dose of rubella (German Measles) **

·         3 doses hepatitis B

·         2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine or history of disease

 

*    Usually given as DTP or DTaP or DT or Td

**  Usually given as MMR

 Children ATTENDING 7^th grade in 2011 / 2012 need the following:

 

·         1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap)

            (if 5 years has elapsed since last tetanus immunization) 

·         1 dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)

These requirements allow for medical reasons and religious beliefs.  If your child is exempt from immunizations, he/she may be removed from school during an outbreak.

Medications at School   (Revised September 2010)

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL PARENTS 0F CHILDREN RECEIVING MEDICATION IN SCHOOL

It is strongly recommended that medications be given at home. Parents are encouraged to confer with the student’s physician to arrange medication time intervals to avoid school hours whenever possible.  No medication will be administered without a properly completed medication dispensing form.  You may access this form below:

Medication Dispensing Form

ALL MEDICATIONS, WHETHER PRESCRIPTION OR OVER-THE-COUNTER, MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE NURSING OFFICE BY A PARENT/GUARDIAN,  IN THE ORIGINAL LABELED CONTAINER, ALONG WITH THE MEDICATION DISPENSING FORM SIGNED BY A PHYSICIAN AND THE PARENT/GUARDIAN.  STUDENTS MAY NOT TRANSPORT MEDICATION TO SCHOOL. 

Emergency medications, such as Epi-Pens and Inhalers, may be carried by the student when deemed appropriate by the prescribing physician and the school nurse.  Please see the Medication Dispensing Form for special permission. 

Students misusing authorized emergency medications, or carrying unauthorized medications to school will be subject to discipline as stated in the school handbook.

Any emergency medications such as inhalers and Epi-Pens require an Action Plan signed by both a parent and the prescribing physician.  The Action Plan is included on the Medication Dispensing Form on the back of the page.  When possible, students should report to the nursing office after self-administering medication.

All medications will be kept in a secure location in the nursing office.  It is the student’s responsibility to report to the nursing office at the appropriate time that medication is to be given. 

A school nurse may not be available to administer medications on field trips.  Please refer to the Medication Dispensing Form regarding an alternative plan for medication administration on such days.  This decision should be discussed with your physician who must sign the Medication Dispensing Form.  Students carrying medication for self administration must have prescription medications in original pharmacy bottles.  Therefore, it is recommended that parents request a duplicate labeled medication bottle from the pharmacist when filling the prescription. 

Only one medication may be listed on the Medication Dispensing form.  Additional medications will require additional Medication Dispensing Forms.   

When to Keep Your Child Home

There are times when you're not sure it is necessary to keep your child home from school.  Here are some symptoms that may mean your child is sick.

• Fever of 100 degrees or greater
• Chills
• Running or inflamed eyes or nose
• Rash or skin eruption
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Sore throat
• Severe headache
• Enlarged glands
• Excessive coughing

A child should remain at home for at least 24 hours, with no fever (without fever-reducing medication), diarrhea, or vomiting following an illness.  Notify the school that your child will be absent.  When your child returns to school, he must bring a written excuse stating the dates and reason for absence.  This excuse must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

By following these guidelines, you will protect not only the health of your child, but the health of his classmates and school staff as well!

First Aid/Emergency Treatment

Nurses are available full time in all schools to provide first aid and support to students who become ill or injured during the school day. Parents will be notified if further medical care is needed, so it is important that each child's emergency card be kept up to date at all times.

The school nurse cannot assume the responsibility for injuries that did not occur at school. Parents and students are asked to refrain from asking the nurse to treat such injuries.  

Parents who will be away from home for an extended period of time are encouraged to notify the school nurse in writing of alternate emergency phone numbers and temporary guardians.

Communicable Diseases

All children should remain at home for at least 24 hours symptom free after they have had any illness accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, or fever.

Any student suspected of having any of the following communicable diseases must remain out of school for the indicated time.  A written excuse from the health care provider is required for any student who is absent for 3 consecutive days.  Please call the school nurse for additional information.

DISEASE	EXCLUSION FROM SCHOOL
Chicken Pox	After the last pox has crusted over (usually 5-7 days from onset)
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)	After 12 hours with proof of medical treatment and discharge has ceased
E-coli	After 2 negative stools
Fifth’s Disease	Free from fever; Generally no exclusion
German Measles	4 days from onset
Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease	Free from fever, after all blisters have dried
Hepatitis	Symptom free and MD note to return to school
Herpes Simplex	No general exclusion. Students with obvious skin or oral lesions should be excluded from wrestling
Impetigo (crusty sores)	When all lesions are dry
Influenza	No fever for 24 hours
Measles	4 days from onset
Meningitis	After 48 hours of appropriate treatment begun and MD note to return to school
Mumps	9 days or until swelling subsides
Pharyngitis/Strep Throat/ Tonsilitis	24 hours after antibiotics therapy has begun
Pediculosis (Head Lice)	After treatment and no visibly live lice. (Call the nurse to report your child’s case)
Ringworm	Readmitted with proof of treatment
Salmonella / Shighella	After 1 negative stool
Scabies  (itch)	After 12 hours with proof of medical treatment
Scarlet fever	24 hours after antibiotic therapy has begun
Tuberculosis *	2 weeks after starting treatment and MD note verifying clinical improvement
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)	After 5 days of appropriate therapy and MD note

* If your child was born in or visited (for >90 days) a country designated as high risk for tuberculosis, the results of a tuberculosis
test must be provided before for child can start or re-enter school.

 Transportation of Ill or Injured Students

The transportation of ill or injured students is the responsibility of the parent or guardian. Staff members are not permitted to transport students. Parents or guardians will be contacted to provide or arrange for transportation. They will also be asked to arrange for transportation for students who have driven to school but who, in the judgment of the school nurse, are medically unable to drive home safely. Other students are not permitted to transport ill or injured students.

In the event of severe illness or injury, an ambulance will be called to transport the student to the appropriate hospital. The ambulance fee is the responsibility of the parent or guardian and is usually covered by medical insurance.

Forms