Enhancing the Health of Children
Lackawanna & Luzerne Medical Societies are excited to partner with Moses Taylor Foundation and area School Nurses to promote the health and education of our children. As primary care providers, we strive to enhance the health and well-being of all our patients. Keep in mind that from September to June, the health care professional who often has the most contact with a child is their school nurse. It makes perfect sense to collaborate with this knowledgeable group for the overall benefit of our pediatric patients. We encourage your support of this partnership with school nurses in your area.
Ways to support this partnership include:
Get to know the nurses in your area schools. They can be valuable resources.
If you have questions regarding attendance, behavior concerns, academics, etc., do not hesitate to contact the school nurse.
Provide state-required immunization updates to the school. These updates can be faxed to the school nurse without violating HIPPA. (HIPAA Privacy Rule allows covered health care providers to disclose PHI about students to school nurses, physicians, or other health care providers for treatment purposes, without the authorization of the student or student’s parent. Click here to read more from HHS.)
Submit state-required physical forms to the school nurse. Ideally, these forms should be completed at the office visit and sent to the school by the parent or student. Unfortunately, they may not make it to the desk of the nurse. If the nurse does not receive the form, she may reach out to you to have the form faxed. Your cooperation in sending these forms is greatly appreciated.
Avoid providing open-ended excuses to cover student absences. For example, John may periodically be late or absent from school due to medical reasons. If you feel it is necessary, be specific about the number of days the student will be absent/late and provide an end date for the excuse.
Encourage parents and students to keep school nurses informed regarding health-related concerns that may interfere with the child’s education.