Request made for RN spot at Lake Road

The Poplar Bluff R-I Health Services/Student Wellness program is seeing an increase in the number of visits to them each year.

The program provides licensed nurses and health aides at the R-I schools. Currently, Lake Road Elementary and the Early Childhood Center do not have licensed nurses, but the elementary school does have a health aide who was added this school year.

These health care professionals provide preventative services, education, emergency care, referral and management of acute and chronic health conditions to both the students and staff at the schools.

Health and Drug Free Councilor Sheryl Talkington told the school board recently there were over 74,800 visits to the health staff last year.

“We seem to get busier every year,” Talkington said.

Kindergarten through third, fifth, seventh and tenth grade students are screened for vision, hearing, height and weight every year. The district recently bought two vision spot screeners to provide the vision testing for students. Prior to these machines, the only vision testing was for acuity or clarity of vision. However, with these machines, they’re able to test for muscle balance, near or far vision and astigmatism.

Additionally, the health staff respond to students who are showing symptoms of sickness at school and provide regular assistance to students with chronic or continuing health problems. In her report, Talkington said there is an increasing number of students with special health care needs.

According to board documents, the district has students who have Epi Pens, medication for seizures, feeding tubes, catheters and diabetic injections that the health staff assists with.

They also provide care to staff through taking blood pressures, testing blood sugar levels, giving allergy or B12 shots, along with other medication, and assisting staff members to manage their “own personal chronic conditions,” according to documents.

Talkington said the department is seeing a rapid rise in the need for mental health care.

“I think a lot of that is education and people being aware of new conditions,” she said.

Along with health care, the staff also provides educational services and programs. Free CPR classes are available for staff members and flu shot clinics are held annually. Staff provided education to students, families and staff about encouraging good hand washing, coughing into your sleeve and staying home when sick along with an asthma education program with the goal of reducing absenteeism and emergency department visits.

According to board documents, Talkington’s main recommended change for the program is to transition the health aid at Lake Road Elementary into a registered nurse. The position is currently filled by a registered nurse who agreed to an aid pay, with the understanding that it would be changed when the board and administration “decide that they are financially able to do so.” Due to the school’s rising enrollment and distance from other schools or EMS services, she reported Lake Road is in the most need.

While the Early Childhood Center currently has a health aide, Talkington said with the center moving to a new building next to the kindergarten center next year there is less of a need there.

“We do have a licensed nurse at least in that building, so she would be available for emergencies,” Talkington said. “We have to be really careful though not to overuse her because kindergarten is a busy spot. She would be available in emergencies and can be right there in five seconds or so.”