School Clinic

 

~Heather Nielson, Nurse

hnielson@ycsd.york.va.us

Nurses Notes:

Please keep the following in mind when making a decision about whether to send your child to school or to keep them home:

Absences: Please report all absences to the attendance office at 757-898-0362 (voice mail available 24 hrs) This is a safety precaution and we will be calling you at home to verify student absences in compliance with Virginia State law if we don’t hear from you.

Illness: After a child has been sick, please do not send them back until they have gone 24 hours without a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or muscle fatigue. Remember the following: “If your child is sick today, then tomorrow they shouldn’t return to school or play with other children“.  This may be a bad year for colds and flu and we try very hard to keep kids healthy at school.

Medications: If medication is necessary during the school day it must be brought to the clinic by a parent or guardian in the original container with the appropriate label. A signed parental permission form must be completed.

Cough Drops at School:

If your child needs to use cough drops at school then the parent needs to send the product in and it’s kept in the clinic. I need a parent’s written request and the understanding that the responsibility of consumption of the cough drops belongs to the parent and child, not the teacher, nurse, or school. Cough drops can be a choking hazard and the safety of our students is our top priority.  

PE Excuses:

Illness, especially asthma, and injury can result in the need for limited or restricted PE activities. This requires a written note from a parent or guardian and as per the Student Handbook states on page 23 “The only acceptable excuse from physical education for more that three consecutive days is a doctor’s excuse.” This is especially true with sprains and breaks. We need specific instructions from the physician to insure your child’s safety. If you have any questions, please call me 898-0584.

Emergency Information: Please call the office 898-0363 or Clinic 898-0584 with new phone numbers (Home, Work, and Cell) so if I need to contact you in the event of an Emergency I have the info I need!

Lost and Found:

Please check the table by the clinic for any lost items. All unclaimed items will be donated by Holiday Break.

Kindergarten Parents:

A change of clothes in a Ziploc bag in your child’s book bag would be a great idea!

TIPS FROM YOUR SCHOOL NURSE ON FLU PREVENTION AND
SCHOOL POLICY FOR SICK CHILDREN

Here is some helpful information and good health habits from the CDC on “stopping Germs at Home, Work, and School”

As you know the Influenza germ is a virus. It is not treated with antibiotics because it is not a bacteria germ. It is an illness that is spread from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes from an infected person. When infected droplets form a cough or sneezes move through the air they can land on the mouth or nose of someone near by. These germs can also be spread when a person touches these infected droplets on a surface like a desk, table or doorknob, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

The best defense or protection from these germs is to:

1.      Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

2.      Clean your hands by washing them often or using an alcohol-based gel or hand sanitizer.

3.      Practice health habits such as:

--Avoid close contact with people who are sick and when you are sick keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick.

--Stay at home when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. Keep in mind that if your child has any of the signs and symptoms of the flu keep them home. Sighs and symptoms of the flu are a high fever over 100, stuffy nose, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, and muscle aches. Also gastro-intestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are more common among children than adults.

--Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth.

Adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before getting symptoms and up to 7 days after getting sick. That means you can give someone the flu before you know you are even sick!

Thank you for your cooperation and please call me in the clinic at 757-898-0584 if you have any questions.