Dear Blair Community Schools Students and Families,
My name is Bridgette Olson and I am the new nurse for Blair Community Schools. It's SO great to be a Bear again. I was raised here in Blair and am a 2013 BHS graduate. Following my high school graduation, I attended College of Saint Mary in Omaha and received my BSN in 2017. After college, I worked in the hospital setting for four years until accepting the District Nurse position in October 2021. I married my husband (also a BHS grad) in 2019 and we welcomed our son to our family in 2020. I am so grateful to be working in Blair alongside our awesome health aids, Tammy, Bonnie, Staci, and Kristi. I am also thankful for Mary Jo showing me the ropes of school nursing. I couldn't do it without all of them. My office is located at the high school and I travel to the schools in the district as needed. Should you have any questions, please reach out to your school's health aid or myself for assistance. Thank you all for the warm welcome back into the Blair Bear family. I am happy to be here.
Bridgette Olson BSN, RN
Your Blair Schools Health Team: click on the name to take you to their website and information specific to their schools:
It's time to start scheduling your Kindergarten and 7th Grade Physicals and Immunizations. These can be completed up to six months in advance of the first day of school on August 17, 2022. These need to be received by the school nurse or health aid prior to the first day of school in order for you student to attend school. You may mail, hand deliver, or fax your forms to your school once they are completed. Forms and information are on the section below.
Click this link for:
Some of the forms included are: Asthma/Anaphylaxis guidelines and medical forms, Physical Exam and Waivers, NSAA sport physical forms, Medication Policy and Permits, Return to Learn Concussion Protocols, Special Diet request, Lice information, and more.
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, many Americans have not received routine medical care for various reasons. Nebraskans are no exception. Wellness appointments and routine immunizations have been delayed leaving many people, particularly children, vulnerable to vaccine preventable diseases.
Back-to-school time seems to the opportune time for children to get caught up on immunizations. With increased concerns of financial burden related immunizations, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS) Immunization program would like to offer the Vaccine for Children Program (VFC). This program affords vaccines to children, at no cost/low cost, at various providers throughout the State of Nebraska. VFC helps to ensure that all children have a chance at receiving their vaccinations and maintaining their health.
A child is eligible for the VFC Program if he or she is younger than 19 years of age and is one of the following:
Medicaid-eligible
Uninsured
Underinsured -meaning the child has health insurance but
Doesn’t cover vaccines
Doesn’t cover certain vaccines
Covers vaccines but has a fixed dollar limit or cap for vaccines. Once that fixed dollar amount is reached, a child is then eligible.
American Indian or Alaska Native
Underinsured children are eligible to receive vaccines at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), Rural Health Clinics (RHC), or select public clinics.
For more information or to locate a VFC provider, contact the NDHHS Immunization Program at DHHS.Immunization@nebraska.gov.
http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Immunization.aspx
Immunization Program
PUBLIC HEALTH
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
OFFICE: 402-471-6423 | FAX: 402-471-6426 DHHS.ne.gov | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
When to keep your sick child home:
Should I keep my child home or send him or her to school? Consider keeping your child home if he or she:
• Has a fever of 100 degrees or higher • Has been vomiting
• Has symptoms that prevent him or her from participating in school, such as: − Excessive tiredness or lack of appetite − Productive coughing, sneezing − Headache, body aches, earache − Sore throat A minor sore throat is usually not a problem, but a severe sore throat could be strep throat even if there is no fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache and stomach upset. Contact your pediatrician as your child needs a special test to determine if it is strep throat. Keep your child home until his or her fever has been gone for 24 hours without medication. Colds can be contagious for at least 48 hours. Returning to school too soon may slow the recovery process and expose others unnecessarily to illness. Does my child have the flu?
• The flu is serious! Call your pediatrician at the first sign of flu symptoms, which typically come on suddenly, including: − High fever − Chills − Head ache, body aches, ear ache − Nausea, vomiting − Dry cough If you’re unsure about the best way to treat your child’s cold or flu, ask your school nurse, doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider.
Information from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Link to Communicable Diseases
(Chapter 3, pages 9-14 include an easy to read chart on common diseases)