Nurses

Fishers front line

Nurses monitor health of school community

Grace Mossing mossigra000@hsestudents.org

By screening students who may have two or more symptoms related to COVID-19, the COVID-19, the clinic keeps the school nurses will most likely ask them to go home and healthy and safe through the pandemic. recommend that they get tested for the disease. School nurses such as Donna Lund and Amy The school has asked teachers to only send Hanna accommodate students as best they can by students to the clinic when there is a great need changing protocols due to the pandemic as well for them to be seen. Unlike previous years, there as staying safe themselves. They wear protective is no resting allowed in the clinic unless absolutely gear such as face shields and gowns as needed and necessary. The clinic also restricts admittance for social distance when possible. issues such as allergies, brushing teeth, cuts and “We truly are on the front line in dealing with ruined clothes. COVID-19,” Hanna said. “We are tasked with "I understand that necessary safety precautions making the decision whether a student needs to need to be taken in order to prevent COVID-19 go home and get tested or if their symptoms are from spreading in terms of preventing students unrelated to COVID. It can be difficult to make from lying down," senior Maya Fotedar said. that decision because there are so many gray areas "On the other hand, I believe that there should with COVID.” still be facilities open where students can receive The clinic has begun to screen students as ibuprofen or other medications." they enter the clinic, which is different from how With the cold and flu season quickly students were able to walk in freely before the approaching in the next couple of months, many pandemic. people are asking about how COVID-19 protocols “We are trying to limit the amount of kids who and student health will be maintained. come in and stay in the clinic,” Lund said. “We “We’ll see an increase of students with cold and are trying to keep kids who need to come into the flu season,” Hanna said. “Because of COVID, clinic at a very low risk and away from anybody parents have been doing a great job of keeping that could possibly be sick [with COVID-19].” kids home that are sick. I imagine that will As an extra precaution, the nurses have continue throughout the cold and flu season.” implemented a follow-up call procedure. Parents Both Lund and Hanna are very passionate about who call their child in sick with symptoms shared working in a high school environment and found by COVID-19 are followed up with, in order to nursing in a school environment later in their establish more accurate contact tracing. professional careers. They are happy to be back in “We go through scenarios with them like have school and see the students that they care for each they been in contact with anyone, or do they day. have seasonal allergies,” Lund said. “We try to figure out if there’s something else that could possibly be wrong with the kid, but there is a possibility that they were exposed to someone with COVID.” If any student comes into the clinic with a fever, they are automatically sent home. If a Nurse Donna Lund washes her hands in the back room of the clinic before she goes to see student presents a patient. Photo by Grace Mossing.