FAQs for the Nurse

10. Was this person absent from school/work for health related reasons yesterday/Friday (in the case of a Monday)? 

 

This is a major area of policy change for us this year. Under the guidance of the Virginia Department of Health, we will not have to consider students who are fully masked and distanced at least three feet "close contacts" of a child who has tested positive for Covid-19. Likewise, asymptomatic students who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will not be expected to quarantine from school if exposed inside or outside the school setting. These students should continue to monitor for symptoms, and should seek testing if they become symptomatic. This means that we do not anticipate routinely closing a classroom when there is a positive case at school. If there has been a positive case in your child's classroom, you will be notified in writing, asked to monitor your student for symptoms, but the expectation is that in person classroom learning continues for everyone but the child who has tested positive, who will complete a quarantine of ten days (or more if symptoms/health conditions dictate). Truly, our experience showed last year that when these parameters of masking and distancing were carefully followed, we did not have classroom spread, and that was before the adult vaccine rates in our community had reached the levels they are today. I look forward to calling a lot fewer families at home this school year!

What happens if my child feels ill during the school day?

Our teachers are empowered to help kiddos who might simply need a break from class, a drink of water, or a trip to the bathroom to do so without a trip to the clinic. Generally, clinic visits are for the 7 Bs: Burning up (fever), Breathing Bad (asthma attack), Barfing, Bee Sting, Broken Bone, Bad Bump (to the head, particularly), Bleeding (a lot-- there are band aids in the classrooms for the minor scrape and paper cut). We will hand out dozens of ice packs a day, patch up run ins with the parking lot (buy stock in tights right now), scan temperatures, and give pep talks to tummy aches. Our goal is to keep well children in class as much as possible. You will typically see a note in the student's Magnus account if they are assessed by the clinic staff (exceptions to this include a quick bandaid for a shallow recess scrape or other very minor, very quick items). Occasionally, we will have a situation that necessitates calling home and dismissing a student. Some examples include: throwing up, a bad headache, uncontrollable coughing, fever, being exposed to a known allergen, or a kiddo who just doesn't seem to be able to make it through the day. The expectation for a dismissal of a sick child is that a trusted adult will be able to pick the child up from school within 30 minutes. In this world of call screening, we ask that you take note for a call from the 703-528 exchange, because that's the school, and we don't typically call to check on your car warranty: if we are ringing, your child needs you. Please remember that if your child is home for symptoms of illness, whether we send them home or you keep them home, they need a provider's note to return to school. They only require a covid test to return if that is what the provider has recommended.

Unlike the public schools in our area, STM is privileged to have full time Registered Nurse coverage in the clinic 5 days a week. In the event of an emergency that goes beyond the scale of what Mrs. Burnside/Mrs. Crawford are trained and educated to do, 911 is called. We are located very closely to Engine 1, and their response time to us is excellent. When EMS has been summoned to the school, either for an adult or a child, parents will be notified via one of the school notification systems as soon as conditions are appropriate to do so. We take health privacy extremely seriously and specific details of these incidents will not be disclosed by the school.

 

There is specific paperwork in Magnus to be completed for these circumstances. We ask that you generally try to dose medications such as antibiotics, attention medications, allergy/asthma maintenance medications, nebulizer treatments, etc. at home whenever possible. This includes over the counter medications and ointments like chapstick, sunscreen, cough medicine, pain medication, etc. Under no circumstances should a child be sent to school with medications-- even cough drops-- in their backpack. Please remember that although I am sure your 8th grader can manage taking a Tylenol at home, our school has children as young as 4. You wouldn't leave medications where a four year old could access them, and yet when you send medications in your child's backpack to school, that's the risk you're creating.

 

If your child has been out sick, please have them assessed by a health care provider (a physician, a physician's assistant or a nurse practitioner). Virtual visits can be exceptionally helpful for this purpose. PM Pediatrics is an example of a local children's urgent care that offers instant virtual visits, and takes all major insurance (including Tricare and non-Kaiser Medicaid [they do not take any Kaiser]).

No. The Virginia Chapter of the AAP has a form they have widely distributed if your pediatrician is unsure what note to use, that is acceptable. While the note does not need to come from the child's regular provider (i.e. Minute Clinic, urgent care, ER, etc. are all acceptable), parent health care providers should be cautious about signing their own children's notes and should acknowledge the liability in doing so.

 

Who do I notify if my child has an injury?
If your child has an injury, please reach out to the nurse, the classroom teacher, and Mrs. Bauer, our PE teacher so we can coordinate accomodations for the classroom and PE/recess. Injuries requiring crutches must have a doctor's note for the crutches. Covid tests are not required of students out with an injury.

 

The Diocese currently accepts any lab-processed covid tests. This includes PCR and rapid tests. We realize most families probably have a preferred vendor at this time for tests. At this time we do not accept serum antibody results as equivalent of the Covid-19 vaccine.

 

Generally, a student who is not displaying symptoms of illness may continue to come to school if a sibling is not well. The exception to this would be if that sibling has tested positive for Covid or is very strongly suspected to be Covid positive. Unvaccinated siblings/children of Covid positive household members must stay home, and should consult the school clinic at [email protected] for further guidance.

 

No. Our classrooms are not nut or food allergen free. Students are strictly prohibited from sharing and swapping snacks. 

 

Please contact the school clinic with any of these questions. The clinic phone forwards after hours and on weekends/holidays to Mrs. Burnside, and the [email protected] email is also regularly monitored. Please try and avoid Facebook/IG messaging or emailing Mrs. Crawford and Mrs. Burnside at their personal email addresses with clinic business.