66 Nurses Responded
April 2023

Question: How serious of a problem is asthma in your school(s)?
28 - Not at all Serious
38 - Somewhat Serious

Question:  Are you currently providing any form of asthma education to students with asthma?
23 - No
43 - Yes

Question:  Which of the following would be most helpful to you?
27-  A 15 minute recorded presentation for training teachers about asthma signs and symptoms, triggers and inhaler use
11 -  A webinar series for school nurses on asthma management by an asthma expert with the opportunity to ask questions
21 -  For the NH Asthma Control Program to provide asthma education materials that can be sent home to students and families
3 -  In-person asthma education for groups of students delivered by an external asthma educator
4 -  I am not currently in need of asthma resources or educational materials

63 Nurses Responded
October 2022

More information on becoming a Nationally Certified School Nurse

Question: What is your current status with the NCSN?

20 nurses already have the certification
3 nurses are currently studying for the exam
40 nurses are seriously thinking about it

Question: Would you be interested in joining a study group, either as a mentor or to study for your exam?

34 responded NO
29 Responded YES

57 Nurses Responded to:

1.  HB1244   Relative to parental consent to medical and dental treatments of children in schools.

This bill was passed last legislative season. Some school districts have interpreted this to mean that OPT-IN permission was needed for all screenings and treatments provided by the school nurse.

There is a legislative committee formed to look at this issue in relation to Vision Screenings. We need copies of forms that you are currently using in your district in relation to any OPT-INs for your services.  

2.  Do you use SNAP, if not, what program do you use?

VIEW RESULTS HERE

76 School Districts Responded; Only one stated they didn't have trouble finding subs...

SURVEY RESULTS HERE

Do you have a NURSE Supervisor?

• Director of Student Services is my supervisor - 1
• My principal is my only supervisor - 37
• No, I have a non-nurse supervisor 16
• Yes, I have a nurse supervisor - 3
• Principal is my direct supervisor, and she answers and refers me to the Student Services Director – 1

Are you working from home?

• Yes – 51
• No -1
• I go in to make calls and deliver meals. Meal delivery happens on Mondays and Wednesdays, so the other days I work from home.
• No, my district requires me to go in.; I check in daily at the school and check temps of janitor staff
• part home part school
• Yes and also office hours for 3 hours a week
• Yes; I am going to be going to my office occasionally. I am not required to stay home but encouraged to.Yes; Only a Couple hours per day
• Yes; trying poor internet

Is your district requiring a set number of hours?

• No – 25
• Yes – 33

Are you calling students and families for check-ins?

• Yes - 41
• No -16
• Yes and No -1

Are you catching up with paperwork, such as entering immunizations, IEP or 504 paperwork?

• No – 10
• Yes – 42
• Did not bring home paperwork due to privacy concerns, but will work on Medical 504's for next year that I have electronically stored. Also taking CEU webinars.
• I am limited to what I have available on my laptop. I do have access to SNAP, PowerSchool and my saved “bookmarks”
• I do not have paper charts at home. Just access to snap via laptop. Will participate in 504s

Are you participating in any video conferencing with students?

• No – 32
• Yes, I have classes to teach – 3
• Yes, I join some classrooms – 13
• 504/IEP mtgs
• Emailing needier students and students referred by teachers. Offering video conferencing to those students who reply.
• I have a google classroom

Are you participating with any food initiatives?

• No, its happening, but I don't participate – 39
• Yes, I help in the distribution -12
• Assisted Day 1, set up a "thermometer station" for the food service staff
• Assisting families with placing orders
• consultation
• Handle by school PR person one nusre had hand slapped for calling families she thought might need delivery
• Have offered to distribute as needed
• Have offered to help distribute as needed
• i connect with families-above question doesn't make sense

• No – 24
• Yes – 34

What other things are you doing from home to support your students / school?

• Emailing parents, offering meetings through Zoom, posting on Twitter. Working on all the paperwork I never have time for, getting ready for next year with new registrants-emailing for missing records, entering immunizations/conditions. Running a GOTR google classroom as I am a coach and our season was cancelled- recording "daily movements" we created, posting questions, responding to girls.
• Reaching out to students who are not engaging remotely or drop off the radar in certain classes.
• Joining Zoom class meetings,updating SNAP(just got it at our school) we have been given permission to volunteer at hospital or where needed as nurses during our work day,logging sickness,connecting with at risk students/parents,having video chats with our 9 district nurses which is awesome we don't usually have time to collaborate,
• Our school district donated most of our PPE supplies to our local hospital to support our medical community.
• Staying up-to-date with NHDHHS and CDC. Google Chat and Meet with district nurses, professional development, offering COVID-19 updates on district website and through school principal communications
• My district has not involved any of its 10 nurses to participate. We have had very little communication from our "supervisor". We are all doing our own thing.
• As nurses, we never get time to collaborate district wide. To that end, we are using this time to collaborate. We have created a general location to electronically store shared files that include templates for health plans, training tools, and SNAP and Powerschool tips, tricks and shortcuts. We are also reviewing all of the student handbooks from each school and editing them to have common language. We are also reviewing policies and guidelines, as well as adding new guidelines so that we are uniform in our practice across district. We are going to do a group book study, and have reached out to one of our Behavioral Specialist for book ideas with a focus in social and emotional health. The nurses communicate daily via Teams and meet weekly over Zoom. Regarding COVID19, we are available to our administration to answer any questions and to help as needed in whatever capacity. I listen in on the DHHS weekly updates and send notes to my Administrator and Superintendent. And finally, I have used this time to go through my office and purge old files and reorganize.
• emailing parents of students with significant medical needs
• Working on many school projects that I haven't had time to finish!
• Checking in regarding illness of students/staff, continuing ed, submitting documentation for medicaid billing.
• Weekly video conference with school staff & principal. Monitoring absences/illnesses of students & staff. Log sheet of symptoms for administration. Follow up (email) of families with ill students. Record keeping student interactions in electronic health record. Maintain updated news information on Covid 19 outbreak & effect on community, state, national & worldwide levels.
• blog for parents, staff and students with updates on COVID-19 info, resources and resources for remote learning activities
• we do not have a specific ""team"" for managing COVID in our school or district. I collaborate with district nurses, occasionally, when asked provide information to senior SAU administration."
• would like to send notes, make more calls, review attendance and note reason not able to participate in remote learning. I have signed up for webinars and CEU"S My internet and my lacking computer skill are holding me back.Would love to work on IHP but program expired last month and nothing else was put in place by SAU,a huge lack of understanding about IHP.
• Contacting parents that didn't sign up for our free/reduced lunch program. Giving out snack packs to working parents that can't come at the mid daytime
• Going to create on-line or remote staff training; Reviewing policies; Developing care plans
• Weekly posted YouTube videos presenting different health topics and ways to improve physical, mental/emotional wellness.
• checking in daily with anxious students via email. Monitoring absences and calling families of children who are not participating in remote learning,
• i am doing yoga and mindfulness activities via video placed on a wellness page as part of a google drive for the specialists(art,Stem,music)
• Providing information about COVID-19, debunking myths, supporting teachers in any way I can
• twice weekly virtual staff meetings, developed 4 work groups, pushing out PD opportunities.Live rurally internet unreliable web to school not functioning, Hughes net no help at all. No direction from SAU. School nurse less 1year
• Family check ins per Principal and mental health team as neededWe have a google classroom where we share tips and advice to stay healthy, fun videos and uplifting messages. We offer support for students and families and we also Ofer private zoom chat and answer emails and participate remotely in staff meetings. I have also been catching up on my PD hours.
• CEUs, reading books related to nursing practice, going in occasionally to inventory PPE to donate to local community partners, might go in to put in immunizations (so I am ready for next year, but it is not required that I go in on a regular basis at this point). I am updating our health office website with the more reliable up-to-date covid-19 information from the CDC and NH DHHS with their website links. I am also sending out emails to staff about personal wellness and health challenges provided by health trust.
• Available for questions and as a resource
• Sending weekly emails to families and teachers. My email is accessible to all families and I have encouraged them to reach out to me
• Professional Development
• Wellness Meetings with staff"
• "I do more emailing than phone calls. I spend much of my day on attendance issues and TRY to catch up on paperwork when time allows. LOTS of online learning - both nursing and IT My district expects me to work my contracted hours. "
• Zoom meetings with counselor/support team regarding students. Weekly or more meetings with other district nurses/principal to check in. Being available to staff to answer any questions, reach students that they can't, etc.
• addressing parent and staff concerns. compiling data and reports. video conferencing
• addressing parent and staff concerns. compiling data and reports. video conferencing
• Participating in staff and team meetings. Following COVID-19 updates. Updating procedures. Professional development through webinars and reading health related books.
• I stay in touch with my principal to advise on the situation. I am an hourly employee so I am getting minimal pay during this time.
• Monitor attendance (daily) and track illness trends, including following-up with families when students are not participating. Health promotion through relevant (science-based) facebook posts to school community. Weekly on-line meeting with other nurses in District. Weekly DHHS (Public Health) conf calls; daily updates/briefings from DHHS, CDC & WHO.
• Updating district nursing/medical policies, DHHS groups call ins, webinars, updating all the things we can never get to, meeting via Zoom with all district nurses at least once per week, reaching out to families for med pick ups/deliveries; updating IHP's/EPlans; book club with district nurses using Mental Health/Trauma based learning books; collaborating on making all practice protocols in district uniform b/w schools; working health information for 8th grade end of year trip until such time it is cancelled; attending ZOOM academic classes to touch base/check in with students; updating Nurse website with every changing information and useful links for families; awaiting at home SNAP access; updating community resource files, new tasks as they come up daily, resourcing information to administration as needed
• Sending tons of emails to staff, parents, students. With educational information on Covid 19, staying well, nutrition, exercise. Checking in on staff and famiy with illness and asking about their needs. Lots of time with emails!
• "Working on CEU's that may be pertinent. Collaborating with guidance, social worker, and school principal about students we may be concerned about.  Working directly with my principal as health issues arise. "
• "Tracking student and staff illness with the assistance of the building secretaries.Part of the Central Office/Administration COVID19 Team along with the other four District Nurses.  Point of contact for staff on any health issues/questions.  Daily check-in/meetings in Google Meet with District Nurses"
• on line update for role of free and reduced lunch coordinator
• "Coordinating church and hospital with much needed mask making. Online workshops related to Covid-19, and other topics.  Administrative and emergency preparedness meetings via Zoom."
• i attend regular meetings with admin, guidance and district nurses to ensure info is circulating

COMMENTS - Response from NHSNA in Red

MEDICAL DIRECTOR SURVEY 5/24/2018

We received information from 41 School Districts
9 of them had a Medical Director
32 of them did not.

Is the director paid or volunteer?
4 Paid
3 Didn't Know
2 Volunteer

Does the medical director write standing orders?
7 yes
2 No

Do they perform physicals?
1 Yes, for the general Population
1 Yes, for sports only
7 No

Is there another role they fill?

• Advice and meet with district nurses once per year. Writes orders for epi pens, and reviews district policies.
• Reviews and updates district health manual
• There is an MD with whom we can consult when there are medical concerns or questions. He is not a director per se.
• Serve as a resource for school nurses
• Allow for purchase of medications, vaccines etc.
• can contact with any questions. also offer some professional development
• Doctor of Pediactrics in Concord NH
• Medical and Concussion consultant
• we do not have one
• pediatrician for Core Pediatrics in Exeter

COMMENTS:

• Our director is leaving the area. Our district has not yet sought a replacement.
• we have 2 pediatric docs that we go to for orders for epi, stock inhaler, etc but they are not officially our medical directors
• Wish we had one
• We are a private boarding school with a licensed health center.
• I have been trying to get one for about 7-8 years
• Medical director is retiring at end of this school year and HR does not have plans at this time on who /when replacement will be transitioning
• We have general medical directives for our schools written and signed by a local physician at no charge and with no oversight by Dr. Deborah Hansen.
• I wish we did.....