School Nurse

Policies & Procedures

Medications
ALL medications, including over the counter medicines, such as Tylenol, Motrin, cough syrup require a written order from a licensed physician. Parental permission is also required. The above mentioned form has a place for both required signatures. All medication must be delivered to school by an adult in the original prescription bottle, labeled by the pharmacy or manufacturer. 

Illness
If your child has symptoms during the previous night, consider making arrangements for your child to remain at home. Extra rest and attention early will often shorten the illness and cut down the spread of germs at school. Sending a child who is not in optimal health to school, not only endangers the health of all others but also increases their susceptibility to whatever illnesses to which they are exposed.

Guidelines to Consider for Keeping Your Child Home from School
1) Temperature of 100.0 or higher. Your child must be fever free for 24 hours before returning.
2) Vomiting and diarrhea within the past 24 hours.
3) Unexplained rashes, sores, and crusty, inflamed eyes or other signs of contagious illness.
4) Persistent coughing that could be distracting to your child and disruptive to the class.
5) Cold or runny nose if nasal discharge is excessive and/or not clear.
6) If you are awaiting results of a strep culture, please keep your child home from school until results have been received. Positive results must be on antibiotics a full 24 hours before return to school.

Gym Excuses
A parent may request in writing a gym excuse for up to 3 days for a student that has a medical problem that does not appear to require a physician's care. After 3 missed gym classes, a physician's note is required for further excuse.

Injuries
If your child is returning to school with an injury, obtain a doctor's note for the absence. The doctor's note must include the date your child will be cleared to return to activity. CRUTCHES: A physician's note is required for the student who needs crutches. The note must clearly state that the student is allowed to use crutches in school and/or on the bus. CASTS, SLINGS & SPLINTS: A physician's note is needed. It must state the nature of the injury, any limitations or restrictions and the dates the student is excused from physical education and recess. 

Communicable Diseases
Wearing of masks will be required for the 2020-2021 school year. The importance of hand washing cannot be overemphasized. Hand washing is the single most effective means of staying healthy and preventing the spread of germs. Please reinforce this extremely important habit at home. Remind your child to wash with soap and water and scrub all parts of their hands for at least 20 seconds. For the health of all our students and staff, please alert the school nurse whenever your child has been diagnosed with any communicable disease. Examples of these include head lice, strep throat, pink eye, chicken pox, impetigo and ringworm. Be assured this information will be kept confidential.

Head Lice
It's a nuisance all schools have. It is the parent's responsibility to check their child's hair and treat, if necessary. At school, periodic checks may be conducted and communication made to parents as necessary. If you suspect head lice, please call me immediately. Regular communication between school and home helps to keep this pest to a minimum.

State law requires written authorization from you and your child’s physician to administer any medication to your child while in school.  This includes Tylenol, cold/flu tablets, antacids, eye drops and cough medicine.   The school nurse or parent/ guardian is the only one permitted to administer medication in the school.

Note of exception:  Under certain circumstances, students with life threatening conditions who have authorization from a parent/guardian and physician, may self-medicate. 

FOR NURSE ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION

If your child is to receive ANY medication from the school nurse,

A physician and a parent/guardian must complete the Permission Form for Medication    (see below)

FOR INHALERS, INSULIN AND EPI-PEN

If you child needs an inhaler, insulin or has life threatening allergies to food, bee sting, or other allergens, and must keep Epi-pen in the Health Office or carry it, please contact the school nurse for the appropriate forms 

All medication must be in the originally labeled pharmacy container.  This container will remain in school.  Please ask the pharmacist for a separate properly labeled medication supply for home usage.

Please review and print form below:

Authorization for Medication (Word Document)           Authorization for Medication (PDF Version)

CRITICAL INFORMATION ABOUT SPORTS PHYSICALS

All students must have a current physical, within the past 365 days from the date of the tryout, to be eligible for a team.

Fall sports tryouts (soccer and volleyball) take place shortly after the first day of school. If your child is trying out for Fall sports, please ensure your child's current physical is on record with the school nurse prior to the first day of school. You can reach our school nurse Mrs. Donovan at 201-391-9000 (fax 201-391-3841), ddonovan@montvalek8.org.

NJ law (N.J.S.A. (8A:40-41.7), effective September, 2015, states, in part, that schools may not accept athletic physicals unless they are filled out completely on the NJ mandated state forms and performed by a doctor who has completed the Student-Athlete Cardiac Screening Professional Development Module.  Unless the section on the Pre-participation Physical Evaluation Physical Examination Form tiled “Completed Cardiac Assessment Professional Development Module” is dated and signed by the examining physician, the student will NOT be eligible for sports.

Each physical exam packet is reviewed by the school nurse and the school doctor, Dr. Mandel, prior to try-outs. There are four pages to the NJ physical exam form. A health history form ***, a form for students with special needs (if it applies to your child), a physical exam form, and a clearance form. Please ensure you submit all required forms. Incomplete packets will not be reviewed or approved by the school doctor. 

***To participate on a school-sponsored interscholastic or intramural athletic team or squad, each student whose physical examination was completed more than 90 days prior to the first day of official practice shall provide a health history update questionnaire completed and signed by the student’s parent or guardian. ****

Click the link below for Athletic Forms mandated by the state of NJ. 

90 Day Health History

Athletic Participation Forms

Asthma Treatment Plan

Food Allergy Emergency Treatment Plan

Physical examinations

Documentation of a medical examination of the student by their healthcare provider is to be given to the school at least once during each developmental stage: at early childhood (preschool through grade three), pre-adolescence (grade four through six), and adolescence (grade seven through 12). It is strongly recommended that your child see their pediatrician yearly for a physical exam. Please see the link below for correct forms;

https://www.state.nj.us/education/students/safety/health/records/athleticphysicalsform.pdf

Immunizations 

Documentation of immunizations against communicable diseases or exemption from these immunizations must be provided to the school nurse. You can obtain this documentation from your healthcare provider. **Please contact your school nurse regarding any medical or religious exemption. Your child may be excluded from the school if they are not vaccinated and there is a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak or threatened outbreak as determined by the Commissioner, Department of Health and Senior Services or his or her designee**.  Please see the link below for the vaccine requirements for NJ Schools.

https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/k12-parents.pdf

Screenings performed by the School Nurse

• Screening for height, weight and blood pressure shall be conducted annually for each student in kindergarten through grade 12.  
• Screening for visual acuity shall be conducted biennially for students in kindergarten through grade 10.  
• Screening for auditory acuity shall be conducted annually for students in kindergarten through grade three and in grades seven and 11.
• Screening for scoliosis shall be conducted biennially for students between the ages of 10 and 18.  Parental consent will be required for this screening. You may opt-out and have this screening performed by your doctor.