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Massachusetts Nurse :: September
2005
School nursing issues takes center stage on Beacon
Hill, across the state
The registered nurses in our school settings play
an important role in health care today. In many cases, the school
nurse serves
as the primary care provider for our children. In addition, RNs
working in our schools are in prime positions to detect the early
warning signs of bio-terrorism. More than 2,100 registered nurses
work in our public and private schools, thus giving us the capability
to recognize symptoms, deliver care and conduct mass immunization
programs in schools and communities. No other facility or agency,
including the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, has this
ability.
These nurses are also first responders and part
of the emergency teams in their communities. Massachusetts has
been
viewed by the
rest of the country as a leader in providing health services
to its school children.
Four major trends have made the school
nursing program critical for providing health care to our children
and keeping them in
school focused on their studies:
- An increase in the number
and severity of illness in students with special health
care needs who are enrolled in schools.
- The rise of social problems
such as substance abuse, depression and violence among
children.
- Changes in family structure and patterns of parental employment.
- A more culturally and linguistically diverse student population.
An
editorial in The Boston Globe on the need for adequately funded
school nursing services paints the picture:
“Time and again, it is school nurses who
first identify a health problem—from hearing loss to a
sexually transmitted disease—and
then make sure the student is referred to a clinic
or doctor.
Nurses have to be ready to use nebulizers with
asthmatics’ medication,
treat severe allergy reactions with adrenaline
shots, and test the blood sugar of students with
diabetes. They are a primary source
of information for children about the hazards
of smoking, drinking, substance abuse, and risky
sexual
activity.”
What is a school nurse?
A school nurse is like an encyclopedia in a school. Most
students find it informative and full of useful material.
Some
students refer to it daily, weekly or several times
during the school year. Most students know where it
is kept and its availability. Other students have difficulty
locating it. A few students prefer not to use it except
in an emergency and then they learn to treasure it.
Some of the school’s faculty members are proud
to have this book in their collection and refer to
it often,
while others consider it just another book. Some faculty
members appreciate this great book, but others do not.
This book is handled carelessly by most of the people
and it has no place of its own on the bookshelf. It
is shifted
around and may be found in the most inconspicuous places
in a school.
In an emergency, the cry goes out over
the public address system so everyone can try to
locate the valuable book.
This encyclopedia may be found anywhere in that large
school—confusing
someone in the yard, hallway, restroom, boiler room,
on stairs, in a classroom, in the teacher’s
lounge, cafeteria, gym, or even in a corner behind
a door with
its pages torn and cover bent.
— Author unknown (September 1996 NASN Newsletter) |
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The Massachusetts Legislature
has keenly recognized this need. In the face
of continued gubernatorial
vetoes of
the school
nursing services line-item they have held steadfast
and overrode the
vetoes. Through the state budget the Legislature
funds the Essential School
Health Services Program which provides for
school nurses, equipment, and health screenings in public
and non-public
schools. One
hundred and three public schools districts
are directly funded through
this program, serving 1,063 public schools
and 551,184 students and 287 non-public and charter
schools serving
75,596 students.
An additional 307 schools serving 166,590 students
receive consultation advice on how to improve
their school health
programs. In all,
1,657 schools with 793,370 students receive
vital school nursing services through the school health
program.
Unfortunately budget reductions to
school health have meant that hundreds of school children
no longer have
access
to basic school
nursing services due to the loss of school
nurses. Since school nursing services is
one way in which
cities and
towns receive
revenue through Massachusetts Municipal Medicaid,
additional federal dollars
are being lost. We need to keep our health
care providers on the front line.
| School nursing legislation pending on Beacon
Hill |
Several bills are before the Massachusetts
Legislature to address these issues.
Two bills would
regulate a minimum of one RN in every public school
in Massachusetts:
H.1037: Legislation to ensure adequate
nursing services in public schools.
Sponsor: Rep.
Jennifer Flanagan
Status: Public hearing held before the Joint Committee
on Education.
S.339: Relating to
ensuring adequate school nursing services.
Sponsor: Sen. Richard Moore
Status: Hearing held before the
Joint Committee on Education, bill referred to the
Joint Committee on
Health Care Financing
and Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Several
bills would enhance school nurse retirement and
pension benefits: H.243: Relating to
including certain certified school nurses in the
definition of “teacher” under
the public employees retirement law. This bill provides
teacher retirement benefits for school nurses.
Sponsor: Rep. Liz Malia
Status: Before the Joint Committee on Public Service.
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H.279: Legislation
to grant creditable service to non-public school
teachers for retirement purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. William Galvin
Status: Before the Joint Committee
on Public Service.
H.1021: Relating to granting certain
teachers benefits to school nurses. Classifies
school nurses who have served
in the public schools for at least the three previous
consecutive school years as teachers, for the purpose
of determining tenure and other employment rights.
Sponsor: Rep. Karyn Polito
Status: Before the Joint Committee
on Education.
H.1087: Relating to legislation to
provide tenure for school nurses. Classifies school
nurses
who have
served
in the public schools for at least the three previous
consecutive school years as teachers, for the purpose
of determining tenure and other employment rights.
Sponsor: Rep. Christine Canavan
Status: Referred to Joint Committee
on Education.
S.109: Relating to establishing a
special commission to study essential health
services in Massachusetts
public schools.
Sponsor: Sen. Richard Moore
Status: Referred to Joint Committee on Children
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