The majority of people in Miami-Dade County assume that every public school has a nurse, according to a recent survey conducted for The Childrens Trust. Most health professionals, however, know better, and a 2005 USA Today article revealed that many schools across the nation do not have a school nurse and the few that do are overwhelmed.
As a result, the article goes on to state that thousands of children with asthma, attention-deficit disorder, food allergies and other increasingly prevalent health problems, must rely on teachers or school administrative staff for help. Curtis Washington, a teacher from California, is haunted by the memory of having seen Albert Lee, a 17-year-old senior, collapse during a school badminton practice. The school had no nurse then, and has none now. Albert, died of cardiac arrest. “I think about it every day,” says Washington, “Maybe a school nurse might have looked into his eyes and had a clue to what was going on . . .” The Childrens Trust hopes to play a part in preventing such needless tragedies in Miami-Dade County, as well as meet the simple health care needs of children through Health Connect in Our Schools, a primary component of its overall initiative, Health Connect. This initiative was conceived as a seamless system of care that will eventually touch almost all children and families in Miami-Dade County through its different facets. The school component, funded in collaboration with The Childrens Trust, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Miami-Dade Health Department, was developed to address the health needs of school-age children in more than 330 public schools, with the sole purpose of addressing student’s immediate mental and physical health needs, as well as helping children and their families connect with a primary care physician. Phase one of Health Connect in Our Schools will place nurses and nurse practitioners, social workers and health technicians in up to 25 % of Miami-Dades public schools. Phase two will ensure that 50% of schools are staffed with Health Connect teams by the start of the 2008-2009 academic year. By the year 2011, phase three will be complete, with all public schools benefiting from the presence of nurses and nurse practitioners, social workers and health technicians. Betsy Fernandez, ARNP, a fifteen-year veteran nurse, recently accepted an offer to work as a nurse practitioner for Health Connect in Our Schools. “I feel I can make a difference in children’s lives through health education and early intervention. Many children are uninsured. A school clinic will provide access to health care, a sense of comfort to students and parent’s alike, as well as give me the opportunity to direct them to a physician and manage their overall care. Empowering children with the knowledge to make the right health choices also will make a difference in their well-being throughout life,” said Fernandez. There are many advantages to employment under the Health Connect umbrella. Rashida Biggs, MPH, CHES, Senior Program Manager of Health Choice Network, Inc. says, “Nurses, social workers, and health technicians will enjoy the many benefits of Health Connect in Our Schools, including weekends and holidays off; friendly working conditions; a competitive salary and good benefits; and the gratification of knowing that you can make a difference in a child’s life and put a smile on their face.” Health Choice Network is one of three providers contracted by The Childrens Trust to provide health care professionals for Health Connect in Our Schools. A Board member of The Childrens Trust, Dr. Debbie Nogueras, once a practicing nurse practitioner herself, brings significant insight as to why Health Connect in Our Schools will appeal to many nurses. “First of all, if we are looking at the nurse practitioner model there are many who are unable to find a role as an ARNP, so Health Connect will increase opportunities for them. Although there is a shortage of nurses in hospitals, many who have left the bedside for personal or family reasons may find the school setting as a viable option to return to the profession,” said Nogueras. “What could be more unique than the team approach offered by Health Connect in our Schools? I think the concept is not only different, but a wonderful opportunity for truly caring health professionals.”
