““Caring is the essence of nursing.”
-Jean Watson

In a school filled with compassionate and dedicated faculty and staff members, Keystone is truly blessed to have two nurses who care deeply for our students, families, and colleagues.  Whether they’re taking a temperature and calling parents to come and pick up their feverish child, putting a bandaid on a cut, or giving a spoonful of medicine (without the sugar to make it go down), Nurse Monica and Penny are there for students in countless ways.  

While in some schools, students may be afraid to go to the nurses’ office, young and older Cobras flock to the office to accompany an ill classmate, get a boo-boo checked out, and of course, select a sticker as they leave.  Sometimes a sympathetic ear makes all the difference in a child’s well-being.

Last year, a thought-provoking article in the New York Times shared insights from school nurses around the country. Here are some of their suggestions:

• Please inform nurses not only when their children are sick, but when they’re under particular stress. As one nurse explained, “We can help that child get through their day, offer a little extra T.L.C.,” she said. “If we don’t know any of this, we can’t help them.”
• Make sure to instill good hygiene practices at home. Nurses wish parents would teach their children this most basic, but also crucial, preventive measure.  “Proper hand washing can prevent one in five respiratory infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And school nurses underscore the importance of hand hygiene because it’s one of the simplest ways to effectively stave off colds and flu…You can also help your children remember to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds by playing songs from a hand-washing playlist, Mrs. Etlinger said. (You can find such playlists on platforms like Spotify.)”
• Make sure to choose the most helpful emergency contacts. Nurses wish parents would carefully consider who is to be called when there’s an emergency; this holds true at a Keystone where our parents are extremely busy with work and other commitments.  “Having the nurse call grandparents in Florida, for instance, isn’t helpful when a student is throwing up in Connecticut, Ms. Cascia said. Instead, choose a nearby and reliable adult such as a retired neighbor or a classmate’s parent, nurses said.”
• Make sure that children get enough sleep. At Keystone, we have discussed the need for our students to get more sleep, including children and young adults not having their phones on their nightstands. According to the article, “There are many reasons a child may not sleep well, including sleep disorders like night terrors. But screen time is the disrupter nurses see most. ‘Kids come to school not having slept, and they’ll admit right to my face, ‘I was up all night on my phone,’ Ms. Cascia said.”

These are very good tips So, as we settle into a new school year, we asked Nurses Monica and Penny to offer their own  tips for a healthy school year. Here are their recommendations:  

Do’s and Don’ts from Keystone’sNurses

The “Do’s” 

 Do take your temperature if you are sick with a runny nose, cough, sore throat,

Do stay home if you are sick with fever, vomiting, rash, or diarrhea.

Do come to school when you have no more fever or symptoms after 24 hours.

Do remember to brush your teeth.

Do drink plenty of water.

Do eat a good breakfast.

Do come to the Nurses’ Office if you don’t feel well.

Do ask an adult if you need help.

Do eat healthy – like the rainbow with colorful fruits and veggies.

Do kind things for someone.

Do bring a jacket to school if it is rainy or cold.

Get plenty of sleep.

Be kind to yourself.

And the “Don’ts” 

Don’t take your temperature after taking fever-reducing medicine and then come to school.

Don’t call home before you come to the Nurses’ Office.

While we are always happy to see children at school, we hope that students will stay home when they are not feeling well. Yes, we adults often go to our workplaces when we’re sick and try to “gut it out.” But staying home allows sick students to recuperate much more quickly and effectively; it also prevents the spread of illnesses to their classmates.  Parents and students should “play the long game” and spend a day at home getting better rather than coming to school and prolonging their recovery.  

If you have questions regarding illnesses, please reach out to Nurses Monica and Penny.  They are here to help Keystone remain safe and well, and we are fortunate to have them looking out for all of us.