February, 2012
Linda Dychkowski, RN, MS, SNT
School Health Services Specialist
631-595-6808
ldychkow@wsboces.org
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Excerpts from the Nightingale Pledge:
“I will do all in my power to make and maintain the highest standards and practices of my profession. I will constantly endeavor to increase my knowledge and skills in nursing and to use them wisely. ”
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From the Statewide School Health Services Center (SSHSC):
The Annual School Health Services Updates
….. to be offered during the month of May
“Please consider joining us this year at one of our two upstate or two downstate locations. It will be a day filled with knowledgeable speakers, valuable resources and an opportunity to connect and network with colleagues who share your unique experiences and challenges. We understand that attaining professional education can be challenging due to the constraints of time or funding or both, and therefore will offer each session as a webinar after the conclusion of the Updates. The NYSSHSC is committed to providing school health professionals with quality research based resources and technical support in order to reinforce the strong link between health services and student achievement. Join us as we collaborate, communicate and care by incorporating these new ideas and fresh perspectives in caring for New York’s students.”
Linda Khalil, Director SSHSC
Gail Wold, Coordinator SSHSC
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From our office -
Western Suffolk BOCES Student Support Services Center
Some of the upcoming activities for school nurses include:
1. For School Nurses – By School Nurses: A Dialogue
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at our Wheatley Heights facility
8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
This workshop will focus on discussions, and networking with fellow school nurses in order to explore new strategies and initiatives that will improve the delivery of school health services and the practice of school nursing. Topics to be discussed include some of the following: The Concussion Management and Awareness Act, the Statewide School Health Services Center’s Webinars, Albuterol Stock, Epi-Pen Non-Patient Specific Orders, Glucagon, and from the NSBA: ‘Safe at School and Ready to Learn.’
The subjects that are explored at this workshop are guided by the professional needs of those attending the workshop, and reflect current school nursing practice and professional issues that face nurses working in our schools today.
Also – at each School Nursing workshop this school year, we have completed some the Statewide School Health Services Center’s Webinars and as a result of doing this exercise together, we have had the benefit to collectively process the information in the webinars, and to discuss the material presented with colleagues.
Attendees are requested to bring questions, concerns, case studies and scenarios to this workshop. Be a part of this unique opportunity.
Register early - this workshop is one of our most popular events. See sidebar - Professional Development .
2. We will be offering another workshop on the subject of Teenage Pregnancy and Pregnant/Parenting Students. Our office recently was named a partner with EOC (Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk, Inc)/SNAP (formerly known as the Suffolk Network on Adolescent Pregnancy) Division in the facilitation of the Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (CAPP) Initiative.
As a part of this grant, we will be providing information and resources to school health staff in an effort to increase awareness of the complex health and other related issues facing the pregnant teen, and to define the role of the school nurse in planning for the health, safety and well-being of this student population.
Health case management and planning for the plethora of emotional, physical, social and academic needs facing pregnant teens, will focus on the role of the school nurse in contributing to the goal of school completion for these students.
SAVE THE DATE!
Safeguarding the Health of Pregnant Teens in the School Setting:
The Role of the School Nurse
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
**MORE DETAILS TO COME **
a.) Resources for those working with pregnant teens:
Pregnant Students Resource Listing
b.) FYI: Suffolk County Legislature
Teen Pregnancy Task Force
Report, May 2011
“Suffolk County Leads the State in Teen Pregnancies.”
Among females between 15 – 19 in 2007, NYS ranks third in the country for highest incidences of teen pregnancy (behind California and Texas).
Many factors are responsible for the increase in teen pregnancy:
To View Full Report:
c.) Teen Pregnancy/Parenting Newsletter for School Staff
Winter 2011-12
Courtesy Western Suffolk BOCES Student Support Services Center
Pregnant Teen Newsletter January 2012
4. The Annual SED School Health Services Updates will no longer be delivered at facilities throughout the state (except for one workshop upstate and one downstate presentation each year) from the Statewide School Health Services Center as has been done in years past. Instead, the information regarding School Health Services Update, will be made available from the Statewide School Health Services Center via webinars.
In an attempt to bring school nurses together for these webinars, our office has been working closely with the Statewide School Health Services Center. We have offered our facility as a setting and a forum here on Long Island for school nurses to view the webinars with their colleagues, and for us to be able to facilitate the discussions that will follow.
One of these Webinars was shown and discussed at our Dec. 6th School Nurse Workshop. This exercise was an excellent opportunity for school nurses to watch, learn, discuss and network with colleagues.
Go to the Statewide School Health Services Website to access the
webinars: http://www.schoolhealthservicesny.com/proLearning.cfm?subpage=192
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WESTERN SUFFOLK BOCES STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES CENTER
FULL LISTING OF SCHOOL NURSING WORKSHOPS:
School Nurse Workshops 2011-12 REV
Linda Dychkowski, RN, MS, SNT
School Health Services Specialist
631-595-6808
ldychkow@wsboces.org
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'MUST HAVES' FOR SCHOOL NURSES
**REFERENCE BOOKS AND MATERIALS**
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SCHOOL HEALTH NETWORK COSER MEMBERSHIP
The School Health Network CoSer
2011-2012 School Year
.........offered by Western Suffolk BOCES/Student Support Services Center
It is time to join or to renew your School Health Network CoSer for the 2011-2012 School Year. The School Health Network CoSer is a cost-savings program offered by the Student Support Services Center at Western Suffolk BOCES that provides professional development opportunities for school nurses. This program is available to all school districts in both Nassau and Suffolk counties and this current school year we have grown to 20-member districts.
The School Health Network CoSer program, in its fifth year of implementation, offers guidance, and collaboration through programs and services that focus on the optimal delivery of school health services and the implementation of school nursing best practices.
Some of the benefits to our member districts include the provision of linkages to regional and state resources as well as:
o Regulations of the Commissioner of Education
o District School Health Program Review
o School Immunization Attendance Requirements
o Mandated Screening Procedures and Protocols
o Medication Administration Procedures
o School Nursing Practice Issues and School Health Services Policy Development
This School Health Network CoSer membership is a win/win initiative for both school districts and school nurses that can further enhance your district’s participation in our office’s school health programs, and in the provision of personalized technical assistance and support for your district nurses.
For further information: Contact Joann Zerbo at 631-595-6843
Linda Dychkowski, RN, MS, SNT
School Health Services Specialist
Student Support Services
31 Lee Avenue
Wheatley Heights, N.Y. 11798
631-595-6808
ldychkow@wsboces.org
*** NYS Department of Health Immunization Contacts for
School Nurses***
***NYS Education Department and Statewide School Health Services Center (SSHSC) Contacts for School Nurses***
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**Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (CAPP) Initiative**
Our office has been named a partner with EOC (Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk, Inc.) /SNAP (fornerly known as the Suffolk Network on Adolescent Pregnancy) Division in the facilitation of the Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (CAPP) Initiative.
As a part of this grant, we will providing information and resources to school health staff in an effort to increase awareness of the complex health needs of the pregnant teen, and to define the role of the school nurse in planning for the health, safety and well-being of this student population.
The health case management of the plethora of emotional, physical, social and academic needs facing pregnant teens, will highlight the role of the school nurse in contributing to the goal of school completion for these students. The following information - the data - is a sampling of the information that we will be providing and updating on a regular basis.
Teenage Pregnancy Data and Resources
#1. Total Pregnancies and Teenage Pregnancies by Type and Resident County New York State – 2008
http://www.nyhealth.gov/nysdoh/vital_statistics/2008/table30.htm
#3 Outline: The Role of the School Nurse in Assessing and Intervening for Pregnant Students
Outline Working with Pregnant Students Role of the School Nurse
#4 ETR Associates offers a book that can be used as a theoretical guide for developing and adapting Curriculum-Based Programs:
"We’re proud to present Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk, an exciting new book by Douglas Kirby, PhD, and his colleagues, long known for their groundbreaking work on adolescent sexuality.
Also available free as a downloadable PDF, the book offers a research-based, step-by-step guide to understanding 7 "sexual psychosocial" factors that affect sexual behavior.
Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk helps health professionals design, adapt and select curriculum-based programs to effectively address critical factors that affect teens' sexual decision making. It is ideal for program planners, policy makers, district administrators and youth-serving organizations."
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FROM THE STATEWIDE SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES CENTER:
JUNE 9, 2011
The list for the districts selected for the 2011 - 2012 Weight Status Category reporting has been posted on our State Reporting page @
http://schoolhealthservicesny.com/whatsnew.cfm?subpage=104
The notification letter to the school superintendents, principals and school nurses will soon be available for posting.
In the meantime we wanted to post the list so you can check to see if your district has been selected for next year.
If so, you can now start collecting the data to record onto the school tally sheets for Part I and Part II!
We are grateful that the list is out before the end of the school year.
Gail
Gail Wold
Coordinator
New York Statewide School Health Services Center
43 Turner Drive
Spencerport, New York 14559
Phone: (585) 617-2380
Fax: (585) 352-9131
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From the National Association of School Nurses:
**Pediculosis Management in the School Setting (January 2011). This NEW Position Statement reflects current recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control for head lice management.
http://www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=237
**Caseload Assignments (June 2010) including acuity measurement formulas for staffing determinations.
http://www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=209
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**FYI: Please visit CDC's new Adolescent and School Health website at www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth! Some of the enhanced features of the site include:
* Updated information on adolescent health, including a new section on protective factors
* An enhanced home page
* A calendar of adolescent and school health events
* A left navigation bar to make the site easier to use and help users find information they need
* Interactive menus and widgets for Youth Online, where you can select, view, and analyze data about youth risk behaviors
* New landing pages for school health, tools and training resources, health topics, and national, state, and local programs
* Individualized pages for different visitors: parents and teachers
* Funded Partner Success Stories highlighted throughout the site
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***Stony Brook University Hospital Department of Family Medicine presents – ‘Target Fitness For Families ’ – a research-based 10 week weight management program led by Rgisitered Diaetitions. $210 for all 10 weeks for parent and child.
Parents, kids and teen meet separately, and book Losing Weight Permanently with the Bull’s Eye Food Guide with menus and recipes is provided.
Call 631- 444-4000 Health Connect to register or Heart Links at 444-9204.
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Listservs
Professional listservs available to school nurses include:
1. The Statewide School Health Services Center Listserv at Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES:
http://www2.monroe2boces.org/listserv/
2. SCHLRN-L -- The School Nurse Discussion List from The National Association of School Nursing
Moderator – Martha Dewey Bergren
http://lists.nasn.org/listinfo/schlrn-l
3. Student Support Services
School nurses and administrators can be included in this listserv by sending an e-mail to:
Linda Dychkowski at ldychkow@wsboces.org
All Listservs are free, open to all, and are invaluable learning and communication tools for school nurses in their efforts to deliver optimum School Health Services and to enhance the Practice of School Nursing.
III. Resources
Web Resources for School Nurses
The following key websites provide ongoing support for the role and responsibilities of the school nurse:
Additional professional Internet resources can be found at:
Internet Resources for School Nurses
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Two excellent N95 Respirator Links and Resources –
Ø Nassau Schools Emergency Consortium
Click on Communicable Disease > School Nurse Respiratory Protection
A template for a Sample Respiratory Protection Written Program is available on this site and well as a link for trainings.
Respiratory Protection Written Program
http://www.nassauschoolemergency.org/203010124153442427/site/default.asp
Ø New York Statewide School Health Services Center (SSHSC)
http://schoolhealthservicesny.com/h1n1.cfm
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From Martha Bergren, National Association School Nurses:
New Online CE Available FREE to NASN members !!
($15 to nonmembers)
A Nurse's Approach to Handling Sexting and Cyberbullying
http://www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=111
Presents cutting edge technology and invaluable safety information to provide kids, tweens, and teens with the necessary tools to navigate the Internet and make safer decisions online
1.0 CNE Contact Hour
Visit National Association School Nurses www.nasn.org to view other CE topics available (SOME free to ALL)
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9/09
RESOURCES
1. Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves Video' - excellent training tool for respiratory etiquette: http://www.coughsafe.com/
2. Suffolk County's Commissioner of Health Services, Dr. Hank Chaudhry's presented the following Power Point recently to a packed room of administrators and school nurses at our Wheatley Heights facility on September twenty-first:
H1N1 Influenza A Preparing Suffolk County's School's and School Districts H1N1 Influenza Dr.Chaudhry
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H1N1 Guidance for Schools
NB: 9/1/09 Updated H1N1 Guidance for Schools from the New York State Department of Education and the Department of Health:NYS DOH Epidemiology Letter NYS SED DOH Guidance for Schools
I. H1N1 Influenza Resources and Guidance from the NYS Departments of Health and Education can be found at the Statewide School Health Services Center Website:
http://schoolhealthservicesny.com/news.cfm?story=72
II. CDC H1N1 Influenza Webpage:
CDC - Influenza (Flu) | H1N1 Influenza (Flu)
CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
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IV. This might be a good time to collect teaching resources for hand washing and other strategies to prevent the spread of germs.
One source that can assist in getting the message out about covering one's mouth when sneezing and/or coughing is this link: "Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves?"
This video was introduced by Dr. Winfred Y. Wu , MD, MPH - Division of Public Health at the Suffolk County Department of Health Services at our School Nurse Professional and Practice Issues workshop in December of 2006 entitled: Pandemic Flu - What School Health Professionals Need to Know. The current video is now in its Third Edition. Follow the link to preview this excellent teaching tool for school nurses to use in school staff trainings: Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves? Once you get to the webpage, you need to 'select a video format' and then you can view the video.
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Resources for School Nurses
1. Reliable Health Information for School Nurses (Websites):
( Favorite websites for school nurses)
Internet Resources for School Nurses
2. SCHLRN –L --- The School Nurse Discussion List Started in 1994, this is the third oldest nursing discussion list on the Internet.
With 1800 + subscribers from 16 countries on 6 continents, this list is public and NASN membership is NOT a requirement. Excellent information source from school nurses all across the country… and the world. Practical and professional sharing for school nurses – by school nurses. You will receive e-mails on a variety of topics…and you can respond to the entire list or to a specific individual. The list moderator is Martha Bergren. Click here to subscribe: http://lists.nasn.org/listinfo/schlrn-l
3. Sick Day Guidelines: Making the Right Call When Your Child Has a Cold by NASN and Triaminic (this campaign if for educational purposes only; NASN does not
endorse products): http://www.nasn.org/Portals/0/resources/2009_01_21_sick_day_guidelines.pdf
5. “The New York State Student Support Services Center at the Genesee Valley BOCES is offering an HIV/AIDS web-based, self-study professional development opportunity for education professionals:
All of the options are free and offered by the NYS Student Support Services Center, supported by a collaboration that includes the US Centers for Disease Control, the NYS Education Department, and the NYS Department of Health, AIDS Institute. The courses are intended as opportunities of Professional Development for those who have responsibility for teaching STD, HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancy prevention to young people.” These courses are open to all school health professionals, and other interested parties.
HIV/AIDS Online Course Click on NYS Student Support Services Center on the left, then under Program/Services - Select HIV/AIDS
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Joint Guidance on the Application of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to Student Health Records
"The purpose of this guidance is to explain the relationship between FERPA and HIPAA, and to address apparent confusion on the part of school administrators, health care professionals, and others as to how these two laws apply to records maintained on students. It also address certain disclosures that are allowed without consent or authorization under both laws, especially those related to health and safety emergency situations..."
(the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education, November 2008)
NB: **See Questions and Answers, Section V**
Further clarification - most current
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***If you are the lead nurse or the nurse coordinator for your
school district, please e-mail me at ldychkow@wsboces.org to be
included in a Lead Nurse/School Nurse Coordinator Listserv. This
listserv will provide a means for School Nurse Coordinators to
meet, communicate and share with school nurses in other school
districts on Long Island who are also serving in this capacity.
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Remember to let new school nurses know about our website and our School Nurse Listserv. Our webpage is: http://lirsssc.wsboces.org (click on School Health Services), and my e-mail address is ldychkow@wsboces.org
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From the National Association of School Nurses (7/29/08):
The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) has announced that Carolyn McCarthy (4th U.S. Congressional District of NYS) has crafted the first piece of legislation which directly addresses the ratio disparities existing throughout the country for the number of students-to-school nurses. It is H.R. 6201 – Student-to-School Nurse Ratio Improvement Act of 2008.
NASN has requested that school nurses thank Rep. McCarthy (a former nurse and member of the House Nursing Caucus) for working with NASN and for sponsoring this encouraging piece of legislation that would work towards addressing poor ratios and correcting disparities. A note to Rep. McCarthy can be sent via e-mail by going to this site: https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml. Also, a call can be placed to the Washington, DC office at 202-225-5516; or to the Garden City office at 526-739-3008.
To read this proposed legislation, click on the following link: Ratio Law
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“Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter's or sculptor's work……. It is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts“ ……Florence Nightingale
ion about the-
0 
year is now available. Sel
***The Student Support Services Center offers workshops on numerous topics throughout the school year. A calendar of events and registration forms can be found on this page's sidebar - click on Professional Development.***
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I. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATEWIDE SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES CENTER (SSHSC):
For severa; years, this office has been a partner, both formally and informally with the Statewide School Health Services Center, an office of the New York State Department of Education. This partnership has resulted in ongoing collaboration and support for programs and initiatives that have benefited school nurses both on LI and statewide.
Remember to log onto the SSHSC website as often as you can. On a regular basis, this is where you will find current State Education Department updates related specifically to school nursing practice. Once on the website, be sure to sign up for their listserv: www.school healthservicesny.com
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II. The newest NYS Laws related to schools and school health services: Laws
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The Campaign for Nursing's Future
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"In the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001 licensed practitioners from across the state volunteered their services to respond to the crisis. It became apparent to the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) that unless these practitioners were already a member of a local or state public health preparedness team that were trained and prepared, most practitioners could not be effectively mobilized.
To this end, NYSNA, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) developed a statewide Public Health Preparedness Volunteer Practitioner Database of registered nurses willing to volunteer their services in the event of a public health emergency. The purpose of this Volunteer Practitioner Database (NurseResponse) is to assure that the entire State has adequate resources to prepare for and respond to any public health emergency, whether it is a declared disaster or other non-declared emergency affecting public health." (NYSNA)
Have you signed up? Visit the NYSNA website: Nurse Response
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IV. If you have not yet signed up for the listserv of the Statewide School Health Services Center - SSHSC (Linda Khalil and Gail Wold) for the latest updates and mandates from the NYS Departments of Education, and current school nursing practice guidance, log on to their website: www.schoolhealthservicesny.com and click on "Sign up for our Listserv."
If you are not currently on my listserv, please e-mail me at ldychkow@wsboces.orgs to receive messages and updates from this office, the Student Support Services Center (SSSC).
Both of these listservs are for school nurses, administrators and other school staff to be kept informed regarding school nursing practice issues and school health services updates and recommendations.
Linda Dychkowski, RN, MS , SNT
School Health Services Specialist
631-595-6808
ldychkow@wsboces.org
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“Nursing is a progressive art in which to stand still is to have gone back.”
.................... Florence Nightingale