May 6th-12th is National Nurses Week

Dear Klamath Falls City Schools families, the Oregon Department of Education and Oregon Health Authority have come up with a guidance around when a student should stay home sick. Please review the following document as a health guidance for going to school. 

Link: Health Guidance for Going to School

Health Services in the Klamath Falls City Schools are coordinated and supervised by registered nurses (RNs). The services provided through a school-based health program include identification of health concerns, nursing assessments, and the development of individual care plans to ensure a safe school experience for students with health-related concerns.

Health Management for chronic illness

• Seek input from licensed medical providers and parents

• Develop health care plans

• Staff training for medical procedures (including nurse delegation)

• Supervise and follow up medical procedures

• Work with school administrators, food service, and teachers to create nut-aware zones for students with severe allergies

• Nurses available for consultation during school hours

• Medication Management (for medications required during school hours)

• State approved medication administration training and ongoing supervision

Emergency Medication Training

• Epi-pen administration

• Glucagon administration

Acute Illness Assessment

• Recommendations regarding a student's sudden symptoms of illness

• Guidance to school personnel (referral to ER, rest, home, doctor)

Community Resource Referrals

• Primary care providers

• Acute care providers

• Vision care

• Dental care

• Food and other basic needs

• Coordinate with schools and families to help students access mental health, behavioral health, and other health needs that may arise

• Oregon Health Plan (Healthy Kids Program)

School nurses play an essential role in keeping children healthy, safe, and ready to learn. They are members of a unique discipline of professional nursing and are often the sole healthcare provider in an academic setting.

Early in the morning, it is often difficult to make a decision about whether or not your child is too sick to go to school. With minor symptoms, you often cannot discern whether or not they are going to get better or worse during the course of the day.

Most of these problems need to be discussed with your child’s healthcare provider to determine if an office visit is needed. On the other hand, children who don’t have a fever and only have a mild cough, runny nose or other cold/allergy symptoms usually can be sent to school without any harm to themselves or others.

The following guidelines may help in your decision-making process: