5420

STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES

The Board of Education recognizes that good student health is vital to successful learning and realizes its responsibility, along with that of the parents, to protect and foster a safe and healthful environment for the students.

The school shall work closely with students' families to provide detection and preventive health services. In accordance with law, the school will provide vision, hearing, and scoliosis screening. Problems shall be referred to the parents who shall be encouraged to have their family physician provide appropriate care.

Schools shall also provide emergency care for students in accidental or unexpected medical situations.

A permanent student health record shall be part of a student's cumulative school record and should follow the student from grade to grade and school to school along with his/her academic record. This record folder shall be maintained by the school nurse.

Communicable Diseases

It is the responsibility of the Board to provide all students with a safe and healthy school environment. To meet this responsibility, it is sometimes necessary to exclude students with contagious and infectious diseases from attendance in school. Students will be excluded during periods of contagion as follows:

Chicken Pox: Students will be excluded for seven calendar days including the day of onset of the disease. Students may return on the eighth day.

Pediculosis: Students will be excluded until the hair is visibly free of nits.

Conjunctivitis: Students will be excluded until the infected eye is clear of inflammation.

Impetigo: Students will be excluded until the formation of pustules has been terminated and healing has begun.

Scabies: Students will be excluded until a physician's note indicates that the condition has been treated satisfactorily.

Ringworm: Students will be excluded until a physician's note indicates that the condition has been treated satisfactorily.

Hepatitis, Meningitis or Tuberculosis:

Students will be excluded until a physician's note indicates that the student is no longer contagious.

Other Infectious or Contagious Diseases:

In situations not covered above, the periods of exclusion will be determined by the chief medical officer.

It is the responsibility of the Superintendent of Schools, working through district health personnel, to enforce this policy and to contact the New York State Department of Health and the County Board of Health immediately upon notification of an outbreak, even if one student, of a communicable disease.

Physical Examination of Students

At the beginning of each school year, parents shall be notified that each new entrant is required by state law to have a health examination, and that a report of the examination must be submitted to the school by the examining physician.

As further required by state law, all students will have eye tests within six months of admission to school. In addition, vision and hearing tests shall be given to each student at least once during each school year.

Immunization of Students

Under law, all students entering or attending the school district are to present a written record of immunization against measles, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, rubella, influenza type b, and the mumps.

Evidence of immunization against the above mentioned communicable diseases shall be a physician's statement certifying that immunization has been completed.

In the case of a transfer student from another school or district, the cumulative health record shall be acceptable as proof of immunization.

Exemptions

A student shall be exempted from the above requirements upon:

1. presentation of a physician's statement indicating that immunization is inadvisable for reasons of health; or

2. presentation of a written statement from the parent or guardian indicating that the parent or guardian is a bona fide member of a specified religious group whose teachings are contrary to the administration of the immunizing agent. Such written statement must be duly notarized.

A student who has not received one or more of the required immunizations shall be given a reasonable length of time to comply. Should there be a lack of compliance, and the student is not exempted from immunization, the Superintendent shall exclude the student until such time as the immunizations are commenced and/or completed, or a statement of exemption is filed with the district.

Administration of Medicines to Students

The Board of Education shall not be responsible for the diagnosis or treatment of student illness. The administration of prescribed medication to a student during school hours shall be permitted only when failure to take such medicine would jeopardize the health of the student, or the student would not be able to attend school if the medicine were not made available to him/her during school hours. "Medication" will include all medicines prescribed by a physician.

Before any medication may be administered to or by any student during school hours, the Board requires:

1. the written request of the parent, which shall give permission for such administration and relieve the Board and its employees of liability for administration of medication; and

2. the written order of the prescribing physician, which will include the purpose of the medication, the dosage, the time at which or the special circumstances under which medication shall be administered, the period for which medication is prescribed, and the possible side effects of the medication.

Both documents shall be kept on file in the office of the school nurse.

The Superintendent shall develop procedures for the administration of medication, which require that:

1. all medications will be administered by the school nurse, HOA, the Superintendent or his/her designee;

2. medications shall be securely stored in the office and kept in their original labeled container, which specifies the type of medication, the amount to be given and the times of administration;

3. the school nurse or HOA shall maintain a record of the name of the student to whom medication may be administered, the prescribing physician, the dosage and timing of medication, and a notation of each instance of administration; and

4. all medications shall be brought to school by the parent and shall be picked up by the parent at the end of the school year or the end of the period of medication, whichever is earlier. If not picked up within five days of the period of medication, the medication shall be discarded.

 

District Use of Health Office Assistant (HOA)

The district may at times find it necessary to employ a Health Office Assistant to give support and assistance to the School Nurse in providing a variety of health services to students. Such individual will be employed as per Civil Service qualifications. The Health Office Assistant will possess a valid Licensed Practical Nurse certification issued by the State of New York.

The LPN shall adhere to Article 139, Title VIII Education Law under the Nurse Practice Act which states ““The practice of nursing as a licensed practical nurse is defined as performing tasks and responsibilities within the framework of case finding, health teaching, health counseling, and provision of supportive and restorative care under the direction of a registered professional nurse (RN), or licensed physician (MD), dentist or other licensed Health Care provider legally authorized under this title and in accordance with the commissioner’s regulations”.

Licensed Practical Nurses in New York function by law as a dependent role at the direction of the RN or other selected authorized health care providers. LPNs may administers medications, assist in preparing students for physical exams, and gather student measurements, signs, and symptoms that can be used by the RN in making decisions about nursing care of specific students.

Cross-ref: 5191, Students with HIV-Related Illness

Ref. Education Law §§902; 903; 904; 905; 906, §6900

Public Health Law §§680; 2164

8 NYCRR §135.1, Part 136

Adoption date: January 1, 1993

Update: 11/8/2010