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Nurse practitioner to operate school-based clinic at East
Through a federal grant, a full-time nurse practitioner (NP) and medical assistant will operate a school-based health clinic (SBHC) out of East Elementary for Waynesville R-VI students and staff. Waynesville R-VI will be the fifth school district in the state to offer a school clinic with a nurse practitioner who can medically diagnose staff and students as well as write prescriptions.
Parents will need to complete a permission form for their student to be seen by the NP. No student will be seen or receive services without parental permission, and parents will always be notified prior to their child receiving services from the nurse practitioner.
“We wanted to create this type of basic medical access for our students,” said Dr. Elizabeth Washington, director of special services for the Waynesville R-VI School District. “We also wanted to create medical access for our staff and offer them an option to be seen in district by a nurse practitioner.”
Laurie Sparr, the nurse practitioner, will open the clinic at East on Feb. 12 through a partnership with Central Ozarks Medical Center. Her salary and clinic supplies will be paid for through the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Central Ozark Medical Center in Richland, MO.
“Many of our students who see the school nurse are referred on for further medical care, such as for a possible ear infection,” said Dr. Washington. “Our nurse practitioner will receive those medical referrals and will be able to diagnose medical conditions such as ear infections, and then write prescriptions for treatment, which will save parents and students time and resources.”
“Imagine that you, as a parent, receive a call to come and pick up your child and when you arrive, your child has already been seen by the nurse practitioner, received a diagnosis and has a prescription,” Washington said.
Washington is quick to point out that the nurse practitioner is not designed to replace a child’s or staff member’s regular healthcare provider, but provide one more option for care for minor ailments. A school-based health clinic is a shared commitment between the school district and health care organizations to support students’ health, well-being and academic success.
While students from throughout the district may use the service, East was selected due to its large population of students, available space and proximity to other schools. Details are still being finalized, but the clinic’s hours most likely will be 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on school days. The NP office will see walk-ins, but appointments are preferred.
“When you wake up in the morning and your son says he’s not feeling well, but you’re just not sure whether to keep your son at home or send him to school, you could make an appointment to see the nurse practitioner to help make that decision,” Washington said.
The NP office will bill a child’s insurance, if any, for the services they receive, but any remaining balance will not be billed to the parents/guardians. The clinic will accept Medicaid, Tri-Care and private insurance. There is no charge to the family if the student is not insured. All treatment is based on parental permission and more information will be provided in the forms that will be sent home to parents/guardians.
The NP will also conduct trainings with staff and students throughout the district on healthy habits.
“We hope to provide a high level of medical care for our staff and students to help them stay well,” Washington said. “We feel the addition of the nurse practitioner will allow for this. Our school nurses do a wonderful job with our students and working within their scope. The NP will add the layer of diagnosing medical conditions and writing prescriptions. It will save parents time because we can do more medical care in district.”
The NP position stemmed from the district’s wellness goals, which are part of its Comprehensive School Improvement Plan.
Issued Jan. 24, 2018