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#5150

SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17109

POLICY

 INJURY, ILLNESS, AND OTHER MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS CONCERNING STUDENTS AND STAFF

In the case of student injury or acute illness the principal, nurse, or teacher shall take immediate measures to provide proper care. The same procedures will apply when staff members are injured or become ill while at school. On-going concerns for the physical well-being of students shall be referred to the building principal.

A.                INJURY THAT IS NOT LIFE-THREATENING

1.                 First Aid should be given by the attending staff, and the student should be taken to the nurse’s office. If the student cannot walk, do not move. Contact principal or designee.

2.                  Parent is contacted by nurse, nurses aide, or building secretary using the information on the emergency card.

B.                 INJURY OR ILLNESS THAT IS POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING

1.                Call 911 and inform dispatcher that an ambulance is needed in Susquehanna Township (Important: point of clarification because sometimes dispatchers are not familiar with boundaries). Describe emergency, give address of school and suggest Rescue Ambulance be called first for Herbert Hoover and Progress Ambulance first for all other schools. One adult from school should accompany the student in the ambulance if the parent has not arrived by the time the ambulance is ready to depart. This adult must take the emergency card.

2.                Notify parent that an ambulance has been called and check that the hospital listed on emergency card is preferred. Suggest that parent meet ambulance at the hospital if it would take longer than 5 minutes for parent to get to school. 

3.                 In case of poisoning, call the Poison Control Center @ 531-6111 while awaiting ambulance.

4.                  A Student Accident Report must be completed by all personnel witnessing the accident by the close of the school day. If no staff members witnessed the accident, the person responsible for the student at the time of the accident should file the report. One copy is given to the principal and the other to the nurse.

C.                 ILLNESS OF STUDENT

1.               Send student to nurse or to office with written note indicating symptoms, complaints, unusual behaviors such as drowsiness, paleness, listlessness, etc.

2.               Nurse, nurse’s aide, or secretary will take care of calling parent and determining if child is well enough to return to class, based upon observation of child, teacher’s note, and parent’s response. 

D.                CONCERNS ABOUT THE PHYSICAL WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS

1.                If child abuse is suspected refer to Policy 5153.

2.                If a staff member has questions or concerns regarding a student that involves the child’s medical history, a chronic illness, or a possible medical referral, the staff member should present a written statement of observations and concerns to the building principal who will, at that point, either refer the matter to the child study team or directly to the nurse for further information gathering.

3.               When a staff member feels that a student’s lack of good hygiene or grooming is causing a social or emotional problem, a written referral should be made to the nurse with a copy to the principal. 

A sample referral for use in situations described in #2 and #3 above is attached.

Approved by the School Board – June 8, 1987

Revised by the School Board – May 22, 1989