Skip To Main Content

Health/School Nurse

High School Health Office: (509) 245-3211, ext. 7-1228
High School Fax: (509) 245-3205

Elem/Jr. High Health Office: (509) 245-3211, ext. 7-2225
Elem/Jr. High Fax: (509) 245-3530
 
 
What does a School Nurse do? 
 
The main role of the School Nurse is to ensure that our students remain physically safe and healthy at school.  For those students who have health concerns which require medical care or medications at school, the School Nurse works with parents, students, and school staff to provide the medical care necessary for each student to attend school and continue to learn. 

The School Nurse does many different jobs in any given school day.  They include: first aid and assessment for injuries and illnesses; reviewing immunizations; working with students, families and healthcare providers to direct medical care for students at school; educating school staff on caring for medical emergencies, injuries, students with health needs and their own personal health; teaching HIV/AIDS prevention, personal hygiene, basic first aid, disease prevention and wellness education. 


Helpful Health Office Hints:

  • If your child is absent with an illness, please include symptoms when calling them in sick (rash, fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting, etc.). This way I will know if “something is going around” the classroom or school.
  • If your child has anything contagious (chicken pox, Fifth disease, strep throat, conjunctivitis, impetigo, MRSA, measles, pertussis, etc.) please let me know so we can take the necessary steps to prevent an outbreak.
  • If your child is being treated for an illness (pneumonia, bronchitis, ear infection, etc.), even if they don’t need any medication at school, it is still helpful for me to know so I can provide the best care for them at school.
  • If your child has head lice, please let me know. I can provide help and resources if needed as well as monitor close contacts at school.
  • A note from a health care provider is required to return a student to physical activity after being evaluated for an illness or injury.

Your child should stay home or we will send them home if:

  • They have a temperature over 100.4 º.
  • They have vomited or had diarrhea in the last 24 hours.
  • They have a rash associated with a fever or itching.
  • They have a consistent runny nose.
  • They have a continuous, moist cough.
  • They have a sore throat with a fever and/or swollen neck glands.
  • They are unusually tired, listless, pale, irritable, or confused.
  • They lack their usual appetite.

Students should NOT return to school until they have been symptom-free for a minimum of 24 hours without fever-reducing drugs such as ibuprofen, Tylenol or aspirin.

Due to space restrictions, we cannot keep a student in the health room during the day.  If you are unable to pick up your student during school hours, please be sure to designate another parent or family member that would be able to do so in the event of illness. Ill students are sent home for their own well-being as well as to prevent the spread of communicable ailments to other students and/or staff.

Please do not hesitate to contact me—working together we can ensure a healthy, productive learning environment for our students.