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School Health Services

Nebraska School Health

The Nebraska Department of Education partners with Children’s Nebraska to support school health staff with best-practices, mentorship, and resources.
Children's Hospital

CONTACT:

Andrea Riley, BSN, RN
School Health Liaison
Children’s Nebraska
402-955-6957
anriley@childrensnebraska.org

Rule 59 is the common name for regulations around the management of severe asthma and life-threatening anaphylaxis. The regulation calls for the administration of both epinephrine and nebulized albuterol when the protocol is initiated.​ Each individual school building is responsible to ensure the following:

1) A designated school personnel is familiar with and understands the regulations and
1) Staff are prepared to initiate the protocol when a life-threatening event occurs to a student or staff member.

For the 2022/23 school year and beyond, Children’s Nebraska has entered a partnership with NDE to oversee education and resource development for Rule 59. The Children’s Pulmonology Team provides review of all materials to ensure best practices are met.

Rule 59 Training Resources

Additional resources:

If you have questions on Rule 59 or the resources listed above, please contact Kim McClintick.

In May 2021, the Seizure Safe Schools Act (LB 639) passed to be implemented starting in school year 2022/23. To date, similar Seizure Safe Schools legislation has been enacted in fourteen states including Nebraska.

This regulation mandates that all approved or accredited public, private, denominational, and parochial schools educate certified staff on how to administer or assist with the self-administration of seizure medication. Specifically, the regulation states the following:

  • For schools with at least one student identified as having a seizure disorder along with medication at school:
    • School staff will work with the student’s parent/guardian and health care provider to develop a seizure action plan.
    • Students with a seizure disorder may self-carry rescue medications.
    • At least one employee at each school will be trained to administer or assist with the self-administration of a seizure rescue medication or medication prescribed to treat symptoms of a seizure.
  • For all schools regardless of whether any students are identified as having a seizure disorder:
    • All certificated school employees will participate in a minimum of one hour of self-study seizure education at least once every two school years.
    • The training program or guidelines utilized by schools will be consistent with seizure training by a nationally recognized organization.

The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), in partnership with Children’s Nebraska’s Neurology team, approved the following training to meet the regulatory requirements:

  • Epilepsy Foundation’s Seizure Safe Schools training for school nurses
  • Epilepsy Foundation’s Seizure Safe Schools training for other school personnel

Please take note of these resources:

If you have questions on the Seizure Safe Schools Act or the documents listed above, please contact Kim McClintick.

School nursing is a challenging and rewarding profession. School nurses must maintain a broad knowledge base, have confidence in his/her assessment skills and be comfortable practicing independently. Because school nurses wear many hats and must be familiar with school and district policies, as well as nursing best practice, it is important for new school nurses to have support from seasoned colleagues.

This mentor program was created to provide new school nurses with support, encouragement, information, and resources to build their confidence, knowledge, and expertise in the school nursing profession.

The mentor and mentee will work together to ensure the following objectives are met:

  • Form a collaborative, trusting relationship to last one school year with regular contact (minimum monthly contact) via phone, email, text, or in-person
  • Increase the mentee’s problem solving and decision-making skills through communication and support
  • Expand the mentee’s knowledge on various regulations, procedures, and policies related to school nursing
  • Address the mentee’s questions on school nursing, resource identification, and locating services for students

If you are interested in participating in this program as a mentor, you will need to have worked as a nurse in a school setting for a minimum of five years. As a mentor in this program, experienced nurses will benefit from participation by:

  • Developing a relationship with a new school nurse who is excited to learn
  • Watching mentees become more confident
  • Being able to answer questions or guide mentees to people who have new perspectives to share

To participate as a mentee, you can be a nurse who is new to the school environment and seeks the relationship, guidance, and knowledge of a mentor. As a mentee in this program, new school nurses can gain confidence and skills through:

  • Knowing there is someone out there you could reach out to for guidance and with questions
  • Networking with other nurses
  • Reducing isolation
  • Learning more about the school nurse role

For more information or to sign up, please contact Kim McClintick or Andrea Riley.

All new Nebraska school nurses are invited to a monthly, virtual huddle during the school year.  This is an opportunity to collaborate, receive support, share ideas, ask questions, and build relationships with other new school nurses.

Join us whenever you can!  You are also welcomed to be in listen-only mode if you are helping students.  We understand you have a busy job and do not want you to miss out!

We meet from September to May on the first Tuesday of the month from 1:30 to 2:00 pm (CST).

To join a Huddle session click here.

Meeting ID:  972 6463 5139

Password:  877338 (required)
877 853 5257 US Toll-free

These huddles are facilitated by Kim McClintick and Andrea Riley with Children’s Nebraska.  Please contact one of us with any questions you may have.

This planning tool is to assist school nurses in determining what training they are responsible for. It is intended to be used as a guide. Training requirements for the school nurse will vary within districts across the state.

These self-study modules were created to help new school nurses build a foundational knowledge base to practice as a nurse in the unique school environment. This training is free and available to any school health office staff needing a review of the current best-practices. They are intended to supplement training offered by school districts. Full instructions on how to access the modules is laid out in the following PDF.

School Nurse Training Modules

School nurses need to stay abreast of nursing best practice and healthcare updates, and this learning collaborative is an excellent opportunity for Nebraska school nurses to gain education and training. In the first  three years, the learning collaborative covered numerous topics such as gender diversity, common gastrointestinal issues, blood disorders, COVID, suicide prevention, sexual health, rashes, current drug trends, the nurse’s role in 504s and IEPs, and many more. Each session lasts one hour with time dedicated to answering any questions participants may have. These sessions are recorded, so school nurses can share the information with other school staff, and PowerPoints are also available for use.

School Health Learning Collaborative 23-24Pre-registration is encouraged but not required to join. Registration is good for the entire series, so there is no need to register again for individual sessions. Please contact CNE@childrensnebraska.org with registration questions. Register Here

To join a session, please use this Zoom link:

 

New Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 978 3829 1112

Passcode: 195068

Phone: 888 475 4499

For more information or questions, please contact Kim McClintick or Jewel Schifferns.

Children’s Nebraska is a Project ADAM affiliate and is interested in bringing the Project ADAM program to your school! The program strives to assist schools and communities in establishing a practiced plan to respond to a sudden cardiac arrest.

Project ADAM Heart Safe Schools will successfully implement a quality sudden cardiac arrest program of awareness, training, and effective emergency response to promote a safe environment for students, visitors, and staff.

To learn more and sign your school up to become a Heart Safe School, visit www.childrensnebraska.org/project-adam

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Heart Safe School, please contact:
Kim Castellano
kcastellano@childrensnebraska.org

Children’s Nebraska developed two vaccine campaigns in partnership with the Department of Education to spread awareness and confidence in the COVID vaccine. For more information and resources on these campaigns, you can access the campaign resources here:

Fruitful

Across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects, and the best way to keep schools and communities safe from the virus is to increase vaccination rates. The Fruitful COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit is free, and we encourage schools to use the resources to send positive and factual messages to students and families about the benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The Fruitful Toolkit contains posters, stickers, email templates, social media messages, Fact Sheet, and more.

Max the Vax

Max the Vax was created to keep kids safe and maximize their futures. It includes resources to stay informed about COVID-19 vaccinations for kids such as vaccination locations, messages straight from healthcare professionals, and a list of providers across the state who support kids being vaccinated.

Type I diabetes is a condition in which a person’s body does not produce insulin, an important hormone in the body. Everyone needs insulin to survive, which means insulin must be replaced with injections or with an insulin pump. Type I diabetes can be stressful and overwhelming for families and those affected. It can also be stressful for school health staff as they must monitor a student’s blood sugar, count carbohydrates, and sometimes give insulin.

While there is no cure for diabetes, it can be managed. To help schools manage this condition, Children’s Endocrinology team created a PowerPoint schools may use to educate staff. Along with the PowerPoint, there are a couple other websites below to help school staff understand Type I diabetes.

When a Good Pancreas Goes BadChildren’s Diabetes Training

Children’s Endocrinology websitehttps://www.childrensomaha.org/department/endocrinology-diabetes/diabetes-patient-education/

Additional informationhttps://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/professionals/clinical-tools-patient-management/diabetes/helping-student-diabetes-succeed-guide-school-personnel?dkrd=hisce0022

Why is Medicaid important to schools?

Healthy students are better learners, and Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) serve the health needs of over 191,000 children in Nebraska. Medicaid is important because it has a positive impact on students and schools alike. According to the AASA’s guide Medicaid 101 for School Superintendents:

  • Children covered by Medicaid are less frequently absent from school and are more likely to graduate from high school and college
  • Long-term studies show that children covered by Medicaid are healthier and have higher wages as adults
  • Providing healthcare services to children in school and enrolling children into the Medicaid program is a proven strategy to reduce chronic absence
  • Nationwide, almost 70% of districts use Medicaid to support the salaries of the health professionals who provide services for students

What school-based services are covered under the Nebraska Medicaid in Public Schools (MIPS) program?

  • Nursing Services
  • Mental Health
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Transportation
  • Personal Care
  • Speech-Language Therapy
  • Vision

For more information, see DHHS: School-Based Services

Do your students receive Medicaid? 

What is the “Medicaid unwinding?”

Schools should be aware that many students could be at risk for losing Medicaid coverage during a process known as the “unwinding”. This is because Medicaid recipients have not been required to go through the usual annual renewal process since the public health emergency was declared in March 2020. Many families have changed their address or phone numbers since then, and if they do not have their contact information updated in Access Nebraska, they could risk not receiving their renewal letters and their coverage could lapse.  Furthermore, some families may be challenged by the complexity of the renewal process and may need assistance.

How can schools learn more?

The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Children’s Nebraska, and the Health Care Association of Nebraska (HCAN) have teamed up to bring you information that can help you help the families in your school community.

On May 4th, experts from Nebraska DHHS and HCAN presented a webinar, “What Schools Should Know About Medicaid Unwinding”. Watch the recording of the webinar here.

Below are resources that schools can use to communicate with families about the Medicaid unwinding so that they can update their information and not miss out on coverage unnecessarily. There are also Navigator enrollment specialists who can help parents with the renewal process or to help them find health coverage if they are no longer Medicaid eligible.

Information on Nebraska Medicaid unwinding: 

Resources for schools:

The following information came from the AASA Toolkit for Schools and was adapted by Nebraska DHHS:

Email to parents

Social media posts for schools

One pager for schools

Blog/newsletter for schools

Resources for schools to distribute to parents:

DHHS Factsheet

DHHS FAQ

DHHS flyer

HCAN flyer for elementary school (2 page – English/Spanish)

HCAN flyer for high school (2 page – English/Spanish)

NE School Nurse Pandemic Response

Spring 2023

NE Student Information System

Spring 2023

Nebraska School Health Data Snapshot

Nebraska School Health Data Snapshot

Updated March 13, 2024 11:39am