Health Office Operations
The common myth that school health offices are only in place so that students can receive "bandages and ice packs" is no longer true. It is very important for all school staff and administration to understand all the types of activities that happen in the health office.
While students are seen in the health office for minor injury to obtain first-aid treatment, observation and for minor illness or waiting for parent/guardian to take them home, these activities are not the sole priority. The types, amount and complexity of health care activities has grown in conjunction with the ever-increasing responsibilities of school health services personnel. Just a few of these responsibilities include assisting students with chronic health conditions, providing medications and treatments to ensure inclusion in the school day, student mental health and emotional issues, student emergency care planning, training, intervention, collaboration and communication with families, referrals, screenings, student and staff wellness interventions, infection prevention and disease control, and much more.
School Health Office or School Nurse’s Office
There is often a team of school health staff that provide health services to students. School Health Services Staffing section provide more information on staffing. Unless the office is staffed by a Licensed School Nurse (LSN) all day, the space should be called the "School Health Office" and not the "School Nurse's Office" to avoid confusion and misrepresentation that care is being provided by a LSN, when in fact it could by a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), unlicensed assistive personnel (UAPs), or any other school staff member. Legally, only a LSN is authorized to use the title “school nurse”. Minnesota Statute § 144.6585 Identification of Health Care Providers requires anyone licensed, credentialed, or registered by a health-related board must wear a name tag that indicates by words, letters, abbreviations, or insignia the profession or occupation of the individual rendering health services. It is the responsibility of everyone in working in a health office to identify themselves correctly and even clarify their role, if a student, parent, or another person incorrectly identifies them as the school nurse.
- UAP Example: Name, health office assistant
- LPN Example: Name, LPN
- RN Example: Name, RN
- LSN Example: Name, RN LSN School Nurse
Before School, After School, and Extracurricular Activities
- Options for meeting health needs outside of the regular school day.
Data Privacy
- Information about, HIPAA/FERPA, Minor’s Consent, and Tennessen Warning.
Disaster and Emergency Preparedness
- Considerations for disaster and medical emergency planning including Automatic External Defibrillation (AED).
Documentation and Record Keeping
- Best practices for documentation, information about student health records, record retention, and use of electronic health records.
Environmental Health
- Information about ventilation, latex and fragrance-free policies, heat, cold, and air quality index recommendations.
Field Trip Preparedness
- Discussion of some considerations when preparing for fieldtrips.
Health Office Space
- The school health services office serves multiple functions, therefore the set up and space it is housed in should allow for the functionality of the health office operations. A list of recommended health office supplies can be found here.
Infection Control and Prevention
- In Schools a variety of actions can be used every day to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, Infection control, standard precautions, personal protective equipment (PPE), and handwashing are among the topics covered in this section.
Mandating Reporting for Abuse and Neglect
- School Nurses and school employees are mandated reporters.
Policies and Procedures
- Information about the differences between policy and procedure and key elements for writing your own.Information on CLIA waivers can be found here.
Service Animals in Schools
- Considerations for policies related to allowing service animals in schools.
Student Health Office Visits
- Routine and ill health office visits, Hennepin County Infectious Disease in childcare settings and school’s manual for care and exclusion guidelines, and CDC guidance