Some parents and doctors are pushing to get a nurse in every school in North Carolina, but finding the money needed for such a tall order is a chronic challenge.
Nurses often find better-paying jobs in the private industry, and the shortage can put students at risk.
Thirteen-year-old Isabel Arreola knows the fear of not having a nurse nearby firsthand.
Last month, Arreola, who has Type 1 diabetes, saw her blood sugar take a dive during her first period of the day at Fayetteville’s 71st Classical Middle School.
“I can’t speak. I can’t react,” Arreola said of her episode. “I’m literally stumbling down the stairs because I can barely walk.”