Reopening plans amid pandemic shine light on Florida's school nursing shortage

Some school nurses cover multiple schools at one time

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THANKS FOR BEING WITH US,I’M JANE MONREAL.TONIGHT- AS FLORIDA SCHOOLDISTRICTS CONTINUE TO FINE TUNEHOW SCHOOLS WILL OPEN THEIRDOORS TO STUDENTS NEXT MONTH 4IN YOUR CORNER’S KATIE LAGRONEIS TAKING A CLOSER LOOK ATNURSES ON CAMPUSAND WHY MANYSCHOOLS WILL BE OPENING AMID THEPANDEMICWITHOUT ONE.(29-38)(131-139)(152-202)IT’S A PLACE WE’VE NEVER BEEN16:30- part of this is the fearof the unknownSCHOOLS PREPARING TO WELCOMEBACK STUDENTS WITH NEW RULES ONMASKSSOCIAL DISTANCING ANDWHICH SYMPTOMS PROMPT RAPIDRESPONSE.14:25- we’re not going to takeany chances.THIS IS BACK TO SCHOOL AMID APANDEMIC11:26- i believe when we openour doors we’ll be facingillness right awayAS FLORIDA EDUCATORS IRON OUTHOW TO OPEN SCHOOL DOORS TOSTUDENTS DURING A HEALTH CRISISWE’VE LEARNED MANY SCHOOLS WILLBE DOING IT WITHOUT A FULL TIMECERTIFIED SCHOOL NURSE ONCAMPUS.3:52- a trained school nurse inwhatever capacity on campus isthe best solution.LINDA KEARCHNER IS PRESIDENT OFFLORIDA’S PTA.EQUIPPING FLORIDA SCHOOLS WITH AFULL TIME SCHOOL NURSEHAS BEENA DECADES OLD FIGHT.1:16- we’ve had an active forceon that issue since the early70’sACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FORDISEASE CONTROLSCHOOLS SHOULDHAVE ONE SCHOOL NURSE FOR EVERY750 STUDENTSIN FLORIDA THE LATEST STATEDATA SHOWS IT’S ONE TO MORE THANTWO THOUSAND THREE HUNDREDNINETY STUDENT7:42- that doesn’t surprise meat all.

That’s what my schoolsconsists of so it’s not shockingat all.KATHERINE BURDGE IS PRESIDENTELECT OF FLORIDA’S ASSOCIATIONOF SCHOOL NURSES AND WORKS AS ACERTIFIED SCHOOL NURSE FOR THEHILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLDISTRICT COVERING 2-3 SCHOOLS ATANY GIVEN TIME.1:56- how are we looking atreturning students to schoolsamid a health crisis with schoolnurses not available at everyschool?answer- the school districtsreally need to come up with aplan in place to make sure thereis someone with healthexperience in every school.IN FLORIDASCHOOL NURSECERTIFICATION IS NOT aREQUIREMENT ON CAMPUSAND WHILEMANY DISTRICTS TOUT HAVING ALICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE OR LPNAT EACH SCHOOLTHEY LACK THEQUALIFICATIONS OF A REGISTEREDNURSEWHO OFTEN COVER MULTIPLECAMPUSES AT A TIME.3:35- there are some countiesacross our state that somenurses have 5 or 6 schools apieceLISA KERN IS SUPERVISOR OFHEALTH SERVICES FOR PASCO COUNTYSCHOOL━ WHERE EACH SCHOOL HASAN LPN--.AND OF ITS 45 RN’━EACH ONE COVERS 2-3 SCHOOLS AT ATIME.6:23- it’s times like these arewhen this inequity in terms ofresources a light is definitelyshone on them and it reminds usall on areas we definitely needto improveIN SOME DISTRICT━ CARES ACTFUNDING IS BEING USED TO R