Nurse's Office

  • Students

    • If you believe you need to see the Nurse, please read the "9 Bs or 20 Minute Rule" chart below to see if there is anything you should try in class first. 
      • If you have a headache, try resting your head on your desk, drinking water, and standing, stretching, or walking.
      • If you have a stomach ache, try using the bathroom, drinking water, eating a snack if you have one, or taking a short walk.
      • If you have cold or allergy symptoms (such as stuffy, runny nose, scratchy sore throat, cough, or itchy eyes), you should go to the bathroom and blow your nose, wash your face and hands, and drink some water.
    • If you have tried other strategies and still have a problem, advise your teacher that you need to put in a nurse pass. Then click the blue "visit the nurse" button below and complete the form. 
    • When the nurse is available, she will either come to your classroom or call your teacher to send you to the health office.

                                                   

    Visit the Nurse

     

     

    Follow the rule of the “9 Bs” or the” 20 Minute Rule” in coming to the Nurse                 

     

     

    You should see the school Nurse Now

    You do not need to see the Nurse yet

    1. Body - Known  Diabetes, Asthma, Seizures, etc

    If you have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, asthma, seizure disorder, etc., and are having symptoms from your disease - you should see the Nurse

    		  

    2. Blood

    Significant (lots of) bleeding - you should go to the Nurse (your teacher may call and send you)  


    Freely flowing nosebleeds - you should go to the Nurse (your teacher may call and send you)  

    Small cuts, scrapes, or picked scabs can be treated with the classroom bandaid supply


    A few drops of blood on a tissue when you blow your nose - you do not need to see the Nurse. Instead - blow your nose and wash your hands

    3. Barf

    Vomiting significant chunks of food - you should go to the Nurse (your teacher may call and send you)

    Spitting up mucus or feeling nauseous like you “might throw up”- you do not need to see the Nurse. Instead, try using the restroom, drinking water, eating a snack, and sitting in class with a wastebasket near you (just in case). If you still feel poorly after 20 minutes, you may put in a Nurse pass.

    4. Breathing Difficulty

    You should complete a Nurse pass or your teacher may send you to the nurse if you have

    • Severe difficulty breathing causing a change in the color of your fingernails or lips (turning blue)
    • Unable to move enough air to speak clearly,
    • Non-stop coughing, or
    • Any breathing symptoms for a student who has asthma diagnosed by their doctor.

    For students who do not have a diagnosis of asthma:

    Feeling a little short of breath after PE, running, recess, or other activities is normal. Take time to cool down in class. Try drinking some water and quietly resting. If you still feel winded after 20 minutes of rest, you may put in a Nurse pass.

    5. Burn
    • Burn from a heat source such as the ovens in FACS class - you should see the Nurse (your teacher may call and send you) 

    “Feeling hot” - If you were in PE or recess - take time to cool down in class. Try taking off your hoodie if you are wearing one. Drink some water. If you still feel hot after 20 minutes, you may put in a Nurse pass.

    6. Brain
    • Serious bump or blow to the head or face - you should go to the Nurse (the teacher who saw this should call and send you)
    • Students with a headache who have been diagnosed with migraines by their doctor, and students with medication at school for recurrent headaches, should put in a Nurse pass

    Brain fog or a headache without an injury. Try taking a brain break - rest your head on your desk, drink some water, stand, and stretch. If you still have a headache after 20 minutes, you may put in a Nurse pass

    7. Bones
    • If you have an injury with a possible broken bone - your teacher will call the Nurse
    • If you get a bad twist of an ankle, knee, etc., the teacher who saw this will call the Nurse

    General muscle soreness after PE or exercise does not need to be seen by the nurse. Instead, drink more water and gradually stretch your muscles.

    Minor strains, bumps- If you still have pain after 20 minutes, you may put in a Nurse pass

    8. Bee Sting

    A known bee sting - student should go to the Nurse

    		  

    9. Bad- feeling ill

    		  

    If you do not feel well - try resting in class to see if that helps. Cold and allergy symptoms are not normally a reason to go home. Try blowing your nose, washing your hands and face, and drinking water. If you still feel poorly after 20 minutes, and you need to call your parents, you may put in a Nurse pass

     

     

    Parents


    Health Issues 

    Students should stay home from school if they have had any of the following symptoms:

    • New cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing
    • Loss of taste or smell
    • Sore throat 
    • Nasal congestion or runny nose
    • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
    • Body aches
    • Headache
    • Fever of 100 or higher in the past 24 hours
    • Undiagnosed rash accompanied by fever or itching

    If your child has been diagnosed with any contagious disease (such as influenza, Covid, or strep) or has a health issue that may affect school performance (such as a concussion), please notify the nurse.

     

    Parkway School District Medication Administration Policy

    Middle school students are NOT allowed to carry and self-administer any medications, including over-the-counter medications like Tylenol, Advil, allergy medications, eye drops, etc. The only exceptions are that students may carry an asthma inhaler or an EpiPen if they have the proper paperwork and approval from the school nurse.

    Medications (over-the-counter or prescription) brought for the School Nurse to administer must be in the original bottle or a prescription bottle and must include written requests and/or orders that state the name of the student, name of the medication, dosage, schedule of administration, indications for administering and the prescriber’s name.

    Over-The-Counter Medication: Per School Board Policy, we must have written authorization from a parent/guardian and a physician to administer over-the-counter medications. See the Authorization to Administration Medication Form in the Medication Administration tab to the left. For over-the-counter medication use for 5 days or less, a parent can authorize this without a physician per dosage directions on the bottle- use the Authorization to Administer Short-Term Over-The-Counter Medication Form in the Medication at School Tab to the left.

    Prescription Medication: Per School Board Policy, we must have written authorization from a parent/guardian and a physician. Use the Authorization to Administration Medication Form in the Medication at School tab to the left.

    School nurses do not administer homeopathics, supplements, or vitamins per Parkway policy.

    See Medication at School to the left for copies of the parent authorization and physician authorization forms. 

     

    Nurse Shanda Jacobs 

    Shanda Jacobs, APRN, NCSN, FNP-BC

    Nationally Certified School Nurse
    Parkway Southwest Middle School
    Phone 314-415-7329
    Fax 314-415-7311