Nurse

Health Office

Student health and safety are important to all Alvarado Elementary staff members. While parents have the basic responsibility for the health of their children, school nurses work to assist families and health care providers in promoting and maintaining the well-being of Alvarado students.

The Health Office is staffed by a half-time Registered Nurse and a Health Assistant.

The goal of the school nurse is to assist students in attaining their optimum physical and emotional health so they are able to achieve academic success. Some of the ways that we achieve this goal at AE are:

• First aid and safety
• Administering Medications
• Performing healthcare procedures
• Assessing student health status
• Screening programs
• Health counseling and education
• Communicable disease control
• Train teachers, administrators, and other school staff to support individual student health needs
• Family assistance
• Screening programs

The Health Office manages both acute and chronic illnesses/injuries. The nurses serve as liaisons between the medical community and the school community and are available to students, parents, and staff for counseling, and education, etc.

Parents/guardians can assist school nurses in achieving this goal by:

• Sharing information with school nurses regarding their students health history, serious illness or accidents, mental health issues, and any other concerns to improve or support our students success in school.
• Keeping students health record and emergency contact information in ParentVUE up to date.
• Keeping their student home when they are sick - see folder for HEALTH RESOURCES for more information
• Encouraging healthy nutrition, sleep and exercise

Injuries

Illness/Injured at School

• If a student is seen in the MAE Health Office the parent/guardian will be contacted via text from student or phone call from the Health Office with status.
• Any student who arrives with a fever at 100.4 or above, is actively vomiting, or has diarrhea will be sent home and may not return to school until symptoms have subsided per APS guidelines.

Medication

If students require the administration of medication during the school day the appropriate forms need to be completed. Medications are limited to those required during school hours and necessary for maintaining an optimal state of health for academic success.

• All medications on campus, which includes, over-the-counter/non-prescription and prescription) need to be documented. A physician order form needs to be filled-out by your student’s physician and the parent or guardian. The Health Office Staff cannot store or give medication or supplies without a valid order signed by the Medical Provider and/or the parent. All forms can be found under HEALTH FORMS on the right hand side of screen.
  • If the student is requesting to carry his or her medication (for asthma inhaler and EpiPen use), ensure that the Medical Provider gives permission on the Asthma or Allergy Action Plan form.
  • If a student will be taking over the counter medication (Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen, TUMS, Cough Medicine, Benadryl) at school, the parent or guardian will need to complete the Over-the-Counter Form.
• Written permission for prescribed or non-prescribed (OTC) medications at school must be renewed annually.
• The medication should be brought to school by a parent/guardian in the original container provided by the pharmacy with students name, medication name, dose and prescribing physician name on the label.
• Parents are required to pick up medications at the end of the school year or the medications will be discarded by health office staff. Reminders will be sent home mid-May.

Resources

Check out our resources throughout the webpage for information on insurance, counseling, drug addiction help and much more!