Address to the County Commissioners during the Budget Hearing on June 7, 2018 by Jean Regan, retired Guilford County school nurse and member of Project ONE
- Thank you for funding 4 – 12 month staff nurses and 1 supervisor in last year’s budget which has reduced our ratios from 1 nurse to 2200 students to 1 nurse to 1975 students.
- American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 1 nurse in every school.
- When I spoke to you last year Guilford County was 110th out of 115 school systems in N.C. and last year’s funding was a good first step.
- Many more students today have chronic health conditions such as asthma, seizures, severe allergies and need for medications and health care procedures at school; as of last year we had over 220 insulin dependent diabetic students in our schools.
- Mental health issues are ever increasing and at the forefront of everyone’s minds at school today.
- The professional nurse is the person in the school most qualified to assess students’ health needs as well as serve as the liaison between school, home and today’s complex health care system to get these needs met.
- School nurses want to play their part so that teachers can teach and students can learn to their best potential.