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School Nurses Being Cut
March 3, 2012
Over five dozen school nurses and health support technicians are being cut out of Escambia County Schools next year, but officials say there will still be someone available to treat children’s illnesses and injuries.
An estimated budget deficit of $3.18 million is leading to the cuts by the Escambia County Health Department totaling about $1.8 million in the school nursing program. Across the county, there will be 42 nurses, 24 health support technicians and one senior administrative clerk cut from the payroll.
Currently there is at least a two-person health care team in each county public school comprised of a full time school nurse and a health technician. Beginning next year, there will only be 15 school nurses, seven of which will serve a regional cluster of schools. There will be 54 health support technicians remaining, with one in every school.
Next year’s reduced staffing will be similar to 1996, the year the school health nurse program was expanded to each county school.
Cutting nurses will also mean and end to health education classes and Body Mass Index (BMI) screenings.
“In addition, at most schools, a nurse will not be on campus to respond to emergencies, oversee medication administration and health procedures, and manage student illnesses,” Said Dr. John Lanza, Escambia County Health Department director. “In addition, the loss will hamper the ECHD’s ability to respond to disasters in our community.”
Pictured : Northview High School School Nurse Michelle Hinote treats a student’s minor arm injury Friday morning at the school. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
40 Responses to “School Nurses Being Cut”
Ok state prisoners get meds like tyl from the officers station well atleast a year ago and yeah they pay what 3 or 4 dollers to see the doc. dental whatever else and yes they are seen My husband is a career criminal no Im not proud but it seems to me that some people think they dont have good healthcare in there well its better than most. And yes it is better than what some children have which is sad.
To all of you who say they are not “real” nurses or don’t have degrees, yes they are “real” nurses. They are required by law to be either an RN (registered nurse) or LPN (licensed practical nurse) in the state of FL. With a degree from a college! These nurses are the same ones that give your children ..yes advil, tylenol, but also have saved children’s lives!! What will happen when a child has a seizure, has a heart attack, breaks their leg/arm, blood sugar drops in the 20’s and they pass out and no one knows what to do??? Yes, ALL OF THIS CAN AND WILL HAPPEN and has happened in the past AT SCHOOLS!! That is what a nurse takes care of!!! Do I think some things can be handled by a child or a teacher or a helper, maybe but not all of it. YOU ALL REALLY NEED TO THINK about EACH AND EVERY child we have in our schools, not just one child. Every child is different and unique and I darn sure want a nurse in the school to take care of my babies if an emergency arises!!
I think it’s sad that this is the cut being made. With all the diabetic kids, children with special needs, such as epilepsy and those who must take their meds at school due to various circumstances beyond their control, this is a huge loss. The techs are good too, but having a nurse for medical issues, not just a sniffly nose is best.
As for the inmates – when you incarcerate someone, they don’t stop getting sick, suffering from chronic diseases or getting cancer. I agree they have committed a crime against society, but if we wanted to kill them for that, it would make more sense to take them out back and hang them rather than lock them up. Would you hang someone who was guilty of a relatively minor crime? I wouldn’t, nor would I deny them medical care. Also, medical care in prisons, both federal and state has been slashed to the bone. I’m surprised it took this long for the health deparment to go to the schools to balance their budgets.
It’s sad for all concerned. I know most of the nurses can probably get jobs elsewhere, but I think their hearts were in the schools or they would not have been there. God bless you all!
Wake up people. This is our children you are talking about. Have you stepped foot in the nurses room. Have you seen the medication that the children take during school hours. I don’t want a teacher being in charge of giving a child their meds, checking blood sugar levels, blood pressure, temps, cuts, nose bleeds, girls personal issues……. The teachers are paid to teach not to deal with health issues. If that is the case they would have gone for a more profitable career. As a parent that has a child that has multiple health issues feels safe knowing if a situation occurs someone is there to give the proper care. Cuts could be made other places. But lets make sure they have a pretty new building to work in and a comfy salary. For who ever said people pay 8000 for property taxes need to go back to where you came from or did you come here because it was to expensive there!
Why is it when there are cuts somewhere in the County or State people start comparing that program to the prison system or county jail? It’s crazy…..first know of what you speak of. Prisoners don’t get free care! It is almost impossible for a prisoner to get an asprin or tylenol unless he or she has the funds in their account to pay for them. Sure they get medical, but that also is on the need to basis and they will be charged. (Of course if they are injuried while working for the State it is taken care of!) Why is it you people seem to think prison is a free ride.
I agree that nurses should not be taken out of our Public School, but lets not compare oranges and apples. They just aren’t the same!
Yea, lets make sure those inmates get there health needs taken care while they suck the taxpayers to death. My daughter has Diabetes and I feel better that a nurse is there to help her if she needs it.She has a lot on her dealing with the disease and being different than the other kids ;(
I would rather my child”s health issues be taken care of by me and her doctor.
A teacher knows when a child does not need to be in her classroom, therefore she can call the child’s parents and let the parents decide what to do. I as a parent want control put back into my hands.
There were never nurses in my school growing up, and we did just fine. The school system has too much control.
Good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cut more.
The other solution to the topic is raising property taxes. Not sure what they are down there anylonger, but I pay close to $4000 a year, which is cheap!!! I know of families that pay close of $8000 per year in our school district.
So unless you want your property taxes to explode like your home owner insurance has for the state of Florida, people in the Pan Handle need to starting talking to their elected representatives and see what else could be cut, such as high school sports programs. How much does someone pay to be on high school teams these days? I saw on Tates High School Band’s website where the cost was around $400 for the uniform rental and a reduction for each additional child for in a family.
What do high school sports members have to pay to be able to play ball for their highschool teams? Have the county redirect the funds from sports and the arts; which only a few do, to pay for nursing which everyone uses.
>>>> Jimmy Olsen wrote “Who are they referring to when they say, “Officials say there will still be someone available to treat children’s illnesses and injuries.” ?”
From the story: “There will be 54 health support technicians remaining, with one in every school.”
Who are they referring to when they say, “Officials say there will still be someone available to treat children’s illnesses and injuries.” ?
The reporter should have asked this question.
Are they suggesting that Paramedics respond by calling 9-1-1? Will this not detract from the emergency needs of the community by tying them up for cuts, scratches and tummy aches of the students?
We all know that time is critical when dealing with heart attacks, strokes, and trauma. EMS will have delays if the closer ambulances are tied up on calls at the schools.
To Kathy in regards to “tell me a child doesn’t know how how to test their blood sugar”
It’s doubtful that a child would be allowed to test in class, since in this day and age the lancets are probably considered a weapon. Same thing goes for insulin injections, the hypo is probably considered a weapon. Hopefully I’m wrong.
I myself do not really care one way or another if there is a “nurse” on site because…..my nephew a high school student at a gonzalez school, was sent to the principals office for actions that “appeared” to be drug related. The resource officer stripped searched this young man…without his parents being there…found nothing. Then his mother was notified. Was told that he appeared to be under the influance..and told her to come get him….she did,told them that they were wrong. She took him straight to the Er…had him drug tested…which was negative. Turns out his blood pressure was stroke level plus…something as simple as checking his BP..which almost anybody can do could have prevented this…what happened?…his mother withdrew him from this joke of a school…sent him to PJC to complete his high school. Just for everybodies info…this young man was a honor student…very very smart and was much better off out of the public school system.( also his younger sister was removed from this same school) …
SLB..I’m sure the school system will accept your personal check for the absolutely necessary service. Or is it only necessary when someone else is paying for.
I’m not saying health care is unimportant.
The question was and is, how is this an educational institution’s responsibility?
Waste of tax dollars in our health dept and schools. Nurses can’t do anything more than the kids themselves, tell me a child doesn’t know how how to test their blood sugar, tell me a student can’t take their seizure medication. Millions for some to take your temp and tell you that you are sick, kids aren’t stupid they know when they are sick. Wasting millions of dollars on what we already know. Techs are even too much.
Why don’t they take some of sales from lottery tickets to help keep nurses the schools? As much people buys lottery tickets . If someone buy say 10 tickets for a dollar each then five dollars goes to the school to help keep the nurses that’s off every tickets sold in Florida & if someone buys just one ticket for a dollar then 0.50 cents goes to the school yall can up something all yall every do is cut back.
Back in the old days the students in your class were from your community, nowdays, only the good Lord knows where they are from. A School Nurse may be the first line of defense in identifying the start of an outbreak. A lot of bad things going round in the world, people just waltz right in to the country, no health screenings, no records.
Typical bureaucratic mentality…..cut something that most feel is necessary, yet keep the dead weight at the top with their mostly unjustified high salaries. They really need to rethink this. It seems as if the officials don’t really think of the benefit to the students and parents, they’re cutting something that doesn’t really affect the officials personally one way or another.
Inmates get all the help they need. Who would have ever thought it would be such a big deal to let a child get help if needed.
REGARDING:
“When, and why, did tax paid nursing service become a school function?”
I would bet taxes paid for it from the start.
Why would be because children get sick.
Why does anybody use nurses?
David for fixing boo-boos
and spurting severed arteries
When will we know what schools are getting nurses and which ones aren’t? Will the health techs be able to administer medications? As a parent of a child who has seizures, I depend on the nurses to be able to administer her medication if she has a seizure at school. Because she is special needs and in ESE classes, we already have to go out of district to get her in a school that will meet her needs…one need being a nurse at the school. This is a really sad situation.
I graduated HS in the late 70’s. Then attended 2 years of college. Only the University that I attended had any medical personel on staff. Not one of the elementary, jr. high, or HS had a school nurse. (and noone ever died at school)
If a student was ill, he or she went home.
This might be one of those tactics that will cause people to be more agreeable to the next tax hike vote; kinda like the threat of eliminating teachers, fire fighters, police, etc.
I wonder why they don’t consider the elimination of non-essential positions; for example, how top-heavy is the school board?
Just wondering.
To Jack:
Apparently your mindset is still located back in the 50’s and 60’s. Ever heard of technology and improvements to the School system over the years? The only reason this important factor in providing health care to our students as needed, is being taken away from our schools and students, basically boils down to the almighty $$$ dollar and not your outdated opinion!
To Escambia County Health Department :
My guess is that the prisoners in the Escambia Co. Florida jail system will still have full access to health care as they need it!!!
I’m very disappointed in your allowing this to happen!
“Bout time ” is wrong .They are nurses with the same credentials as those in the hospital .Be sure to make stupid comments about the nurses in the hospital when you are there next time.
What will happen is when a child or 2 have a problem at school that the nurse could of help to not happen (maybe death or permanent injury), the school/that is the taxpayer will pay the tort lawyers a few million.
On thing “bout” doesn’t get from watching Jerry Springer and the MSM is that children that would of never been in school years ago (they are too sick/fragile)are now there and monitored by the school nurse.
Public school is a disaster. Give every child a voucher for what we spend now on them and let the free market provide services.
When will we know what schools get to have a nurse? We really need to have a new person in charge of our schools this is out of control First special needs students get their programs cut now this. I thought the county got extra money for these special children. I wish someone could help the parents with special needs students understand their rights Im sure then this could change for all children would benifit. Also I am sure our great school district does not go by the heppa law. Do they not have to?
Any nurse in the school district is thoroughly screened and must be either an RN or LPN. Technicians are the people without the medical degrees. I would know, my mom runs a nursing agency that staffs nurses to the school district for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties.
When, and why, did tax paid nursing service become a school function?
If nurses are required for some students and nurses aren’t available for those students, I guess public school is no longer an option for those students.
Thus, a Florida constitutionally mandated right of all children in Florida to a free public education is eliminated.
Interesting.
When I was in school, in the 50’s and 60’s, I don’t remember the schools being responsible for providing nursing service. When and why did this change?
With a child that medical needs, I am very concerned about this. There are children that attend the schools of the Northend of the county that need medical attention. There are certain medications and procedures that these children a required to have in order to maintain a safe and healthy learning enviroment, which each child in escambia county deserves. this needs to be addressed with the school board for sure.
correction: happening to her license.
These are absolutely “real” nurses. At the school that I teach at, the nurse was discussing the fact that she will probably get a job at a hospital or doctor’s office now. She does not want to have to travel to different schools and take a chance of having something happen to her license because of a mistake that someone else could make when she is not there. If something happened at a school that she was over while she wasn’t there, it would be on her license on the line and that is not right.
This is very sad, and the reason I will not be voting for who is in office currently. This is not a solution to the states financial problems. Go sit in any school nurses office and you will see how needed they are! …and yes they are real nurses. I as a parent have gotten advice from our school nurse NUMEROUS times about my children, and it is great to have that help available as a parent! I hope someone knocks someone upside the head for this great decision.
>>These are not “real” nurses…they have NO medical degrees
You are wrong. They are LPN or RN. They are real nurses. You are thinking about the medical techs.
Not sure how they are not “real” nurses…they go to nursing school and they carry a license. If they are cut back guess what u will see them in a Dr office or hospital taking care of patients. Not anybody can just be school nurse. Sorry for where ever u got your info.
Why don’t our superintendent take some of the $56.5 million in unrestricted reserves and keep the nurses in the schools. I’m tired of the government taking away things that are needed and giving things that are really needed.
This is such sad stressful news! I for one depend on the school nurse. My daughter takes a medication at school. She also has an issue where I depend on a nurse being there. A cold is one thing but when your child is epileptic you want someone trained to look after your child.
Finally, the school board is cutting out unnecessary positions. These are not “real” nurses…they have NO medical degrees and all they can do is administer advil and tylenol…anything beyond that required a visit to the doctor or hospital. So, go back to allowing parents to provide their kids with “over-the-counter” medicines and let the county save THOUSANDS!!
This is sad ):