Nurses will have full-time presence in BC schools

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August 10, 2010

By LISA SIMPSON STRANGE Glasgow Daily Times The Glasgow Daily Times Tue Aug 10, 2010, 08:57 AM CDT

GLASGOW — The number of nurses working with students in Barren County schools has been expanded to six.

Four nurses have been added to the program with the signing of a contract between the Barren County School District and the Barren River District Health Department. Superintendent Jerry Ralston and Dennis Chaney from the health department signed the agreement at the district’s central office on Friday morning.

“We piloted with the health department a school nurse program in two of our schools last year and it went extremely well,” said assistant superintendent Bill Walter. “We will be adding additional nurses to serve all of our schools.”

Students who are physically fit and medically sound can concentrate more on their studies while in school, Chaney said.

“I think all of us would agree that a healthy, well child is better able to perform academically,” he said.

The nurses will be able to address a variety of medical issues including everything from administering medicine, managing complex medical issues such as diabetic children, triaging injuries and providing physicals and immunizations, according to Chaney.

“The Barren River District Health Department is very excited about the expansion of our school nurse program. We are very proud of our program and the partnership with Barren County schools,” he said.

The following nurses will join the current district registered nurse Rita Powell:

• Patricia Ray, RN, has been assigned to Eastern and Temple Hill elementaries. Her experience includes clinical and supervisory nursing. She has worked in pediatrics, medical-surgical, orthopedics, geriatrics, home health, physician’s office, intensive care, progressive care, surgery and outpatient surgery.

“I am excited about, and look forward to working with the staff and students,” she said.

• Jessica Lohden, RN, will be working at Austin Tracy Elementary. She has worked in long-term care, PACU, home health and private duty ventilator nursing.

• Brittany Harlow, RN, has been assigned to North Jackson and Hiseville elementaries. She has worked at a local hospital for the last six years, primarily in the pediatric unit and is certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Neonatal Resuscitation.

“It’s going to fun being with the students and the faculty and getting to know each one on a daily basis,” she said.

• Oleva Burks, RN, will be working at Red Cross Elementary. She has been with the Barren River District Health Department for a year and prior to that worked in a local hospital for 12 years. She has experience all the way from pediatric to geriatric patients.

• Scarlett Garmon, RN, will be in her second year in the nursing program at Barren County Middle School. She has experience in hospital, long-term care, public health and school nursing.

“I really enjoy the students and working with the staff. We have a wonderful staff at Barren County Middle School and several challenges as far as medical conditions, but I’m excited about being back,” she said.

• Jamie Jones, RN, has been assigned to work at Park City Elementary. She is a recent graduate of Western Kentucky University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in December 2009. She has worked in a local hospital in the medical surgical/oncology unit.

“We’re all about meeting the needs of children and that extends beyond just academic needs,” Ralston said. “This is a big day; this is huge for our students, for our district. Our nurses do a wonderful job in trying to meet the growing needs of our students, but it’s overwhelming at times. So, the additional nurses will significantly increase the amount of health services available to meet the needs of our students and increase the time they have with their teachers,” Ralston said.

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