Health/ Nurse

Mission Statement

The goal of the School Nurse of the Brownsville Area School District is to provide the resources to promote the greatest health care services for each student in our care. Those services include:

Collaboration with parents, school staff, and community health agencies.
Health assessments and screenings
Implementation of state health and immunization laws.

If your child has a medical condition that the nurse should be made aware of please call your child’s school and speak to the nurse directly. The school nurses are available to answer questions and address parents concerns.

7th Grade Students

Every school year all students entering 7th grade are required to have the following shots prior to the beginning of the school year.

One dose of DPT(Diptheria/Pertussis/Tetanus) If 5 years has lapsed since the last tetanus shot.
One dose of MCV (Meningococcal Vaccine for Meningitis)
Please fax missing shot records to the attention of the school nurse to 724.785.8930.

12th Grade Students

Every school year all students entering 12th grade are required to have the following shot prior to the beginning of the school year.

Second dose of MCV (Meningococcal Vaccine for Meningitis)
Please fax missing shot records to the attention of the school nurse to 724.785.8930.

State Mandated Services

All students in the Elementary School are provided with screenings mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. These screenings include:

Vision - all grades.
Height, Weight, and BMI - all grades
Hearing - grades K, 3, and 11
Physical - grades K, 6, and 11
Scoliosis - grade 6 and 7
Dental - grades 1, 3, and 7

These screenings are administered by the nurse on an ongoing basis throughout the school year. A referral is sent home if there is a need for further evaluation. Physical examinations are provided by the School Physician. Parents/Guardians may choose to have their family doctor perform the physical at their own expense. The Private Physician’s Report of a Physical form may be downloaded or requested from the school nurse.

Medications

It is the policy of the Brownsville School District that medication be administered at home by a parent or guardian. Under exceptional circumstances, medication prescribed by a physician may be administered by school personnel in compliance with school regulations. The Authorization for Medication During School Hours form may be downloaded or requested from the school nurse.

Immunizations

Pennsylvania State Law requires that all students be properly immunized. Students are required to have the following properly spaced immunizations:.

Four doses of the Diptheria, Pertussis and Tetanus Vaccine-DPT (one dose after 4th birthday).
Four doses of the Polio vaccine (4th dose on or after the 4th birthday).
Two doses of the Varicella vaccine (Chicken Pox) or confirmation the student had the disease.
Three doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine.
Two doses of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine.

Parent/Guardians who have medical or religious objections to these immunizations should contact the school nurse or building principal.

Communicable Disease Guidelines

In order to prevent the spread of communicable disease, students should remain out of school according to the following guidelines:

Chickenpox: Until all lesions are dried (usually 5-7 days)
Strep Throat/Scarlet Fever: Until 24-48 hrs. after the start of antibiotic.
Impetigo: Until 24 hrs. after the start of antibiotic and no drainage
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye): Until 24 hrs. after the start of treatment or deemed non-communicable by a physician.
Scabies: Until appropriate treatment and determined non-infectious by a physician.
Head lice: Until after treatment and hair are free of nits/eggs.
German measles/measles: 4 days from onset of rash.
Mumps: 9 days from onset of swelling until swelling subsides.
Whooping Cough: 5 days from the start of appropriate therapy.

Any child who has a fever of 100 degrees or more, is vomiting, or is experiencing diarrhea should be kept at home. Children will be sent home if these symptoms occur in school.