Medical Support Team

It is important to remember that good physical and mental health are essential for every child’s educational development and achievement. In addition to serious health conditions there are many other health reasons for a student’s lack of success in the classroom including lack of sleep, poor nutrition (skipping meals or not eating healthy foods), not enough exercise or activity and even stress or worry about personal problems.

Our school nurses can explore ways to assist you and your child. Our school nurse will work with teachers to help your child be successful during his or her educational career.

The goal of the School Nurses is to promote a safe and healthy community in which the students will be encouraged to become life-long learners, self-managers and self-advocates for health, education and other issues.

Objectives

• To maintain a comprehensive health record system.
• To assess the health status of students.
• To identify health problems and develop and implement plans of action for their resolution or management.
• To provide health counseling and instruction for students, parents, and faculty/staff.
• To assist with the development of positive health attitudes and practices through formal and informal instruction.
• To provide health education for school personnel and parents.
• To develop and implement an emergency care plan.
• To identify problem areas in the school environment and assist with corrective measures.
• To design a health referral and follow-up system.
• To increase parents knowledge of available health related resources.
• To assist students to become knowledgeable health consumers.

Procedures

• All students and staff must have a complete current health record kept on file. These records are confidential and kept in a secure and permanent place in the school clinic.
• The school health team (two nurses) must be informed of any student with a chronic illness (e.g. diabetes, asthma, allergies, etc.), and will communicate this information with the student’s teachers.
• Proof of current immunization record which is required by the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) must be submitted as part of the completed registration form,
• The school health team manages the immediate assessment of sick or injured children.
• All students must undergo an annual basic medical checkup performed by the school nurses. This examination includes weight, height, growth curves, hair, feet, vision, ear, chest, abdomen and some musculoskeletal deformities.
• No medication of any kind may be administered to a student who does not have written permission from the parent.
• School Nurse will contact Parents/Guardians in the following situations:

1. If a student is determined ill and cannot complete the day in school, the student will remain in the clinic until he/she is picked up.
2. To discuss an apparent medical problem that needs attention.
3. To advise to follow up through outside referral.

• Any student leaving the school for any medical reason (i.e. doctors’ appointments) must show the appointment slip.
• The student should have a valid hall pass to see any member of the school health team, except in an emergency.
• The school has procedures in place deal with accidents and medical emergencies including the transfer of student of staff to nearest hospital.
• All students treated in the clinic will be recorded with time of arrival, name, class, a brief diagnosis and the treatment given.
• The school health team provides serviceable first aid boxes in and around the school and for field trips.