Reopening plans amid pandemic shine light on Florida's school nursing shortage

Some school nurses cover multiple schools at one time

THROUGH THESE HARD TIMES.AS FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICTSBEGIN TO FINALIZE THEIR PLANSON SCHOOLS RE-OPENING NEXTMONTH&OUR CONTACT 5INVESTIGATORS ARE FINDING ATROUBLING TREND.

KATIE LAGRONETAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT NURSESON CAMPUS AND WHY MANY SCHOOLSWILL BE OPENING AMID THEPANDEMIC WITHOUT ONE.<<IT'S A PLACE WE'VE NEVERBEEN& (COVER THIS SOT WITHVIDEO) PASCO COUNTY SUPERVISORFOR HEALTH SERVICES 16:30-PART OF THIS IS THE FEAR OFTHE UNKNOWN SCHOOLS PREPARINGTO WELCOME BACK STUDENTS WITHNEW RULES ON MASKS&SOCIALDISTANCING AND WHICH SYMPTOMSPROMPT RAPID RESPONSE.

(COVERTHIS SOT WITH SCHOOL VIDEO)PASCO COUNTY SUPERVISOR FORHEALTH SERVICES 14:25- WE'RENOT GOING TO TAKE ANY CHANCES.THIS IS BACK TO SCHOOL AMID APANDEMIC& (SHOW HER FACE HERE)PASCO COUNTY SUPERVISOR 11:26-I BELIEVE WHEN WE OPEN OURDOORS WE'LL BE FACING ILLNESSRIGHT AWAY AS FLORIDAEDUCATORS IRON OUT HOW TO OPENSCHOOL DOORS TO STUDENTSDURING A HEALTH CRISIS& WE'VELEARNED MANY SCHOOLS WILL BEDOING IT WITHOUT A FULL TIMECERTIFIED SCHOOL NURSE ONCAMPUS.

FL PTA 3:52- A TRAINEDSCHOOL NURSE IN WHATEVERCAPACITY ON CAMPUS IS THE BESTSOLUTION.

LINDA KEARSCHNER ISPRESIDENT OF FLORIDA'S PTA.EQUIPPING FLORIDA SCHOOLS WITHA FULL TIME SCHOOL NURSE&HASBEEN A DECADES OLD FIGHT.FLPTA 1:16- WE'VE HAD ANACTIVE FORCE ON THAT ISSUESINCE THE EARLY 70'S ACCORDINGTO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASECONTROL&SCHOOLS SHOULD HAVEONE SCHOOL NURSE FOR EVERY 750STUDENTS& IN FLORIDA& THELATEST STATE DATA SHOWS IT'SONE TO MORE THAN TWO THOUSANTHREE HUNDRED NINETY STUDENTS.HILLSBOROUGH 7:42- THATDOESN'T SURPRISE ME AT ALL.THAT'S WHAT MY SCHOOLSCONSISTS OF SO IT'S NOTSHOCKING AT ALL.

KATHERINEBURDGE IS PRESIDENT ELECT OFFLORIDA'S ASSOCIATION OFSCHOOL NURSES AND WORKS AS ACERTIFIED SCHOOL NURSE FOR THEHILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLDISTRICT COVERING 2-3 SCHOOLSAT ANY GIVEN TIME.HILLSBOROUGH 1:56- HOW ARE WELOOKING AT RETURNING STUDENTSTO SCHOOLS AMID A HEALTHCRISIS WITH SCHOOL NURSES NOTAVAILABLE AT EVERY SCHOOL?ANSWER- THE SCHOOL DISTRICTSREALLY NEED TO COME UP WITH APLAN IN PLACE TO MAKE SURETHERE IS SOMEONE WITH HEALTHEXPERIENCE IN EVERY SCHOOL.

INFLORIDA&SCHOOL NURSECERTIFICATION IS NOT AREQUIREMENT ON CAMPUS&ANDWHILE MANY DISTRICTS TOUTHAVING A LICENSED PRACTICALNURSE OR LPN AT EACH SCHOOL&THEY LACK THE QUALIFICATIONSOF A REGISTERED NURSE&WHOOFTEN COVER MULTIPLE CAMPUSESAT A TIME.

PASCO INTERVIEW3:35- THERE ARE SOME COUNTIESACROSS OUR STATE THAT SOMENURSES HAVE 5 OR 6 SCHOOLS APIECE LISA KERN IS SUPERVISOROF HEALTH SERVICES FOR PASCOCOUNTY SCHOOLS WHERE EACHSCHOOL HAS AN LPN--&.AND OFITS 45 RN'S EACH ONE COVERS2-3 SCHOOLS AT A TIME.

PASCOINTERVIEW 6:23- IT'S TIMESLIKE THESE ARE WHEN THISINEQUITY IN TERMS OF RESOURCESA LIGHT IS DEFINITELY SHONE ONTHEM AND IT REMINDS US ALL ONAREAS WE DEFINITELY NEED TOIMPROVE TAG IN SOME DISTRICTSCARES ACT FUNDING IS BEINGUSED TO RAMP UP DISTRICTSROSTERS OF REGISTERED NURSES.KATIE TAG OUT.