Health Services Overview
A student's health status is directly related to his or her ability to learn. Students with unmet health needs have a difficult time engaging in the educational process. The school nurse supports student success by providing health care through assessment, intervention, and follow-up for all children within the school setting. The school nurse addresses not only the physical needs but also mental, emotional, and social health needs of students and supports their achievement in the learning process. The school nurse provides for the safety and care of students and staff and addresses the need for integrating health solutions into the educational setting.
School nurses typically practice independently. They are called upon to assess student health, develop and implement plans for care management, use critical thinking skills and act as first responders. They engage in public health functions such as disease surveillance, immunization compliance, and health promotion. The school nurse is a vital member of the education team and collaborates with staff members, parents and community members to advance health and keep students safe at school and healthy to learn.
The goal of the Reeds Spring R-IV School District's health services program is to facilitate the greatest educational progress for all students by promoting and maintaining an optimal level of wellness for students and staff members and by minimizing or removing health related barriers to learning for individual students.
· Maximize the quantity of in-class time by reducing the incidence of health related absenteeism.
· Minimize or eliminate health related problems which impair learning.
· Promote the highest degree of independent functioning possible
· Promote student, staff, and community awareness of and participation in healthy behaviors.