Thirty percent of students identified at risk for not achieving success on end of grade tests and who receive school nurse intervention will score at or above grade level.

Every day, nearly 24,000 children attend public school in Catawba County.  An increasing number of those children are identified with health issues that adversely affect their ability to excel in school.  It is proven that healthier students learn better, have fewer absences, and are more likely to reach their optimal educational potential.

In recognition of this dilemma, Catawba Valley Medical Center partnered with Catawba County Public Health and the three Catawba County school systems in 2005 to provide ongoing funding for five new school nurse positions.  With additional funding from the state and a Duke Endowment grant written with the help of CVMC, eight more school nurse positions were created.

These contributions have brought the number of school nurses from 10 to 25.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a one-nurse-to-750-student ratio in schools.  Catawba County’s ratio is currently one nurse to approximately 1,000 students, but before 2006, the nurse-to-student ratio was one to nearly 3,000.

The expansion of the school nurse program allows schools to better serve those children whose health issues are barriers to learning.  Nurses focus on vital health and safety education, with the aim of preventing illness or the onset of poor health behaviors during childhood.  Their practices are integrated into all aspects of school health, including nutrition, fitness, the environment, mental health, and staff wellness.  They also identify and assist at-risk children, including creating individualized health plans and at-school chronic disease management plans.

The intervention of school nurses has resulted in higher test scores, improved compliance with state immunization requirements, and increased access to regular medical, vision, and dental care for students.  It has also produced decreases in absenteeism, particularly among children dealing with chronic illnesses such as asthma and diabetes, and fewer visits to the emergency room.

“Schools are under pressure to produce good test grades, but children are bringing more and more problems – both physical and mental – to school these days.  It’s up to nurses to help students overcome those barriers to learning.” ~ Rhonda Stikeleather, RN, Catawba County School Nurse Supervisor