-Where's the School Nurse?

Where’s the School Nurse?

By: Charisma H

A student, gasping for air, collapsed on the ground in the parking lot on Friday, December 17, 2010 at Kean High. The monitors and administrators rushed to carry the girl to the nurse’s office, but there was no school nurse.

The school has a few medically trained individuals, including Ms. Ruth Dias, who try their best to meet the medical needs of the students, but there has been no nurse since the beginning of the year.

Ms. Ruth Dias is not a nurse, but she is qualified in first aid and basic CPR. Her responsibilities are writing passes for the students who are sick, keeping all records for the nurse’s office, and making temporary or regular I.D's.

“Nurturing” is a word that describes Ms. Dias; senior Akela Frett said, “Ms. Dias looks out for me when I’m not feeling well. She goes out her way to make sure that I am feeling better. She always tries her best to make sure the students are safe and comfortable.”

A nurse’s responsibilities include keeping medical records, giving medication, assisting in first aid, finding out what’s the problem when the student is not feeling well, and referring students to other health care providers.

Although Ms. Dias works full time in the nurse’s office, she said, “We need a school nurse because it’s unsafe and we need somebody here; a nurse can [also do much] to educate the children.”

Dr. Sharon Ann McCollum, the principal of Kean High, would also like to see a school nurse. “It’s been hard trying to find qualified applicants for the job. The pay scale is not high enough, so qualified persons usually work for the hospital or private facilities,” said Dr. McCollum. When asked when a nurse will be hired, Dr. McCollum responded, “I don't have an available answer.”

Since the opening of school, there have been emergencies where students have had seizures, asthma attacks, and injuries. There’s little the administration can do but call parents, take the student to Red Hook Family Practice, call an ambulance, or call a faculty member who is certified in CPR, according to Ms. April Petrus, an assistant principal.