CINCINNATI
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School nurse staffing concerns made the list of important matters pointed out
at last Wednesday night?s Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education meeting.
Some board members are concerned about how changes in staffing could affect
critical care for students.
Mary Ronan, superintendent, divulges they are doing the best they can to
work with area health foundations, corporations, and hospitals to trump up
raising funds and more economical ways to offer health services in the schools.
Some time ago, the district has dispensed approximately $1 million to the $3.5 million
nurse program fund. The other chunk of financial backing derived from the city
and program-generated revenue sources.
Ronan introduced four different models of more worthwhile programming choices to
the board during last Wednesday's meeting.
A Registered Nurse, Bill Robb, who works in the school system, is worried
about what belt-tightening or changes in staff may mean for students. Robb has
been taking care of kids at Westwood Elementary for the last 12 years.
The benefit, explained Robb, is that they have a lot of continuity, they
know the student body. "We're a great resource for getting a kid connected
up with a clinic, getting them healthcare quickly.?
According to Robb he does everything from strep tests to diabetes management
"We really want the children to be the best they can to learn,"
Robb said. He thinks the children need to be healthy to do that.
Superintendent Mary Ronan shared, "We're really the first line of
defense for youngsters who don't have health insurance."
Vanessa White, a board member, repeated that good health has a positive
effect on student learning and achievement. The very reason they want to make
sure their students attend school healthy and ready to learn.
Robb is very much concerned regarding the effects within the realm of
possibility on students, now that the City of Cincinnati is bailing out from their annual 2
million dollars in school nurse program funding and the school district also
going up against their own budget.
He admitted that he is truly stressed with all these. "I worry about
without nursing services who is going to care for that student, connect
them up with additional services they may need?" he rhetorically asked.
It is a problem that can be found echoing in the halls of the Board of
Education.
White shared that he is deeply concerned about what they are going to do
when there?s no more nurses in buildings.
Robb said, "Without a nurse in the building for a situation like asthma
or a diabetic I think there could be some big problems with the vacancy."
"We're trying to come up with creative ways to fund it but you don't
want to be in that difficult position: teachers versus nurses," Ronan
revealed.
Starting now down to May Ronan will be pencil pushing with the help of input
from the board as she smoothes the way to adjust a final budget recommendation
to the board of education.
The city health department?s spokesperson says they are still not raising
the white flag on the likelihood of city funding, wishing they can arrive at
some agreement before the budget goes into effect. Also, he made it known they
are considering some ways to maximize health care services that earn income.