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Nurses Take on New Roles at Area Schools

May 7—School nurses see their share of tummy aches, but the job encompasses a great deal more.

Wednesday is National School Nurse Day, established in 1972 by the National Association of School Nurses.

For some students, the care they receive at school is the only professional health care available to them.

Judy Ford is a registered nurse at the on-site health clinic at Union Public Schools’ Rosa Parks Elementary School, 13702 E. 46th Place. The clinic is part of the University of Oklahoma Alliance for Community Health.

Ford said school nurses everywhere do the same basic evaluation to recognize the possibility of common problems, such as ear infections, but also more serious illnesses, such as diabetes.

“All of the things we do are important, but . . . the most important thing is to look at what these kids’ health-care needs are,” she said.

At Rosa Parks, the process extends beyond the student.

“We see the entire family here,” Ford said. “If their mom is sick, . . . that affects them at school.”

Ford, who has worked in school nursing for 29 years, said the job at the Rosa Parks clinic is a dream come true.

For years in school nursing, Ford would assess a child’s needs but not be able to help meet them.

“Now, I’ve got a solution for them,” she said.

Rosa Parks Principal Karen Vance said the clinic is a reason families want to locate in the Union district.

Students at most schools in Tulsa County do have access to the care of a school nurse, even if that care must come from another site, but that isn’t the case for all students in Oklahoma, where many schools don’t have school nurses, Ford said.

No Oklahoma statute exists to require school districts to provide nurses, according to the state Education Department.

Shelly Hickman, a spokeswoman for the department, said it is often a factor of funding when a district goes without medical professionals.

The state does provide procedures for districts to follow regarding children with ongoing health issues and the often minor emergencies that can occur within the school day, she said.

Some districts, such as Sand Springs, have OU clinics offered for a few days per week.

Tulsa Public Schools has a number of on-site clinics through the OU Alliance.

In addition to basic health care, school nurses also might be involved in nutrition and drug- and alcohol-awareness programs.

Dody Patrock is the school nurse at Metro Christian Academy, 6363 S. Trenton Ave., a private school in Tulsa with about 1,000 students.

Patrock has been active in the school’s push for physical health and good nutritional habits.

“We purposefully follow state (nutrition) guidelines,” she said. “Why not? If it’s good for our kids, why say no? I want to challenge other private schools if they’re not doing that.”

A recent statistic that showed that about half of all American children will be overweight in a decade or less made an impression on her, she said.

Patrock also enjoys the nurturing aspect of nursing.

“You get to be ‘second mom,’ ” she said.

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