CALIFORNIA SCHOOL NURSES ORGANIZATION

California Department of Public Health Releases Updated Guidance

On the heels of the Governor's plan for reopening schools, the California Department of Public Health released updated guidance for schools planning to reopen for in-person instruction, as well as a COVID-19 School Guidance Checklist. This guidance affects all schools, which are required to post a compliant COVID-19 Safety Plan prior to reopening. Schools that are already open must post their COVID-19 Safety Plan by February 1.
The new guidance includes:
•    Criteria for reopening under the framework of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy;
•    Considerations for school leaders to plan for and prepare to resume in-person instruction, such as stes to take when a student or staff member experiences symptoms of COVID-19 during the school day;
•    Response to confirmed COVID-19 infections;
•    Physical distancing in classrooms; and,
•    Implementation of stable groups of students and staff.
This guidance supersedes previous guidance, with the exception of the Guidance Related to Cohorts for Children and Youth.
Beginning January 25, every Local Education Agency (LEA) and private school in California must notify the Department of Public Health whether it is instructing students in person. The school must provide the following information via a web form that will be made available by the Dept. of Public Health:
•    Is in-person instruction provided full time? Include whether it is provided for all grades or for certain grade spans.
•    Is in-person instruction provided part-time (hybrid model)? Include whether it is provided for all grades or for certain grade spans.
•    Is in-person instruction provided only pursuant to the Guidance Related to Cohorts?

CDPH Updated school REopening Guidance

CDPH COVID-19 checklist

During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, resources for school nurses are vital. CSNO has put together a COVID-19 Recovery Plan, as well as pulled together some of the latest guidance, and other resources. We have created a dedicated page to all things COVID-19. Click below to view those resources.

COVID-19 Resources

American Academy of Pediatrics

The Link Between School Attendance and Good Health, January 2019 Policy Statement

Attendance & Health

American Academy of Pediatrics

Role of the School Nurse in Providing School Health Services May 2016 Policy Statement

Policy Statement

AAP Policy Statement on Off-Label Medication Use

The American Academy of Pediatrics has a position statement on the use of off-label medication use with children. The purpose of off-label use is to benefit the individual patient. Practitioners use their professional judgment to determine these uses. As such, the term “off-label” does not imply an improper, illegal, contraindicated, or investigational use. Therapeutic decision-making must always rely on the best available evidence and the importance of the benefit for the individual patient.

Off label AAP Position Statement

A Day in the Life of a School Nurse

​Inside California Education is a public television series that explores the challenges, issues and stories of public education.  Recently the station highlighted school nursing.  Please feel free to share with your school communities.

Day in the life of a School Nurse

Assemblymembers Holden and Berman Introduce Legislation Supporting School Nursing and Health Services

 In the midst of the global Pandemic, two Assemblymembers Holden (D-41) and Berman (D-24) have stepped up and introduced two critical School Nursing/Health Services bills. AB 285 (Holden) would place a State School Nurse Consultant at the California Department of Education.  California is one of ten states without a state school nurse consultant, yet our great state has high rates of poverty, food instability and homelessness; support that a school nurse consultant could help with.  According to the National Association of State School Nurse Consultants, this position is poised to

• Serve as Liaison to state boards of education and nursing, other state agencies, and legislators on behalf of local school health programs.
• Influence policy development ensuring quality school nursing services in the state.
• Monitoring, interpreting, synthesizing and disseminating relevant information to schools associated with changes in health and medical care, school nursing practice, legislation, and legal issues that impact school health services and remove barriers to student’s access to education.
• Technical assistance to local jurisdictions to address increasingly complex student health conditions found in schools.
• Coordinating and securing state grants to assist local programs.

For full Bill detail, please visit: AB 285 State School Nurse Consultant

In partnership with Assemblymember Bergman, CSNO is sponsoring AB563, which would to establish an office of School-Based Health. The legislation was successful last year, however it was vetoed by Governor Newsom. Given the current pandemic, the Office of School-Based Health would have been instrumental in helping lead the efforts on infection control, staff and student assessment, student health issues and school reopening. According to Pamela Kahn, MPH, RN, CSN, CSNO State President, "Children come to school every day suffering from mental health issues, poor nutrition, and with chronic health conditions such as asthma and diabetes that seriously impact their ability to succeed. Schools are a critical partner in providing health services to students.  California presently doe snot have a formal inter-agency relationship with the California Department of Health Care Services (DCHS), which oversees the Medi-Cal Program.  With the new expansion of the State Plan Amendment that allows for reimbursement of general education health care services,  we believe now is the time to fully develop and formalize the relationship between DHCS and the California Department of Education. We look forward to working with Assemblyman Berman to make this relationship a reality."

For Full Bill Details visit: Office of School Based Health

CSNO urges school nurses to locate their respective legislation and urging a yes vote (support) for these two pieces of legislation.  CSNO has included AB 285 Resources button below.  These resources include a AB 285 Sample Letter to Legislators; AB 285 Talking Points; The Case for a School Nurse Document; and 18-19 School Nurse Dashboard (Trends in School Nursing).  Additionally, School Nurses may locate their legislator by visiting http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

AB 285 Resource Material