To the editor: Ohio children deserve certified school nurses

5/25/2018
  • Thousands-of-students-count-on-care-given-by-school-nurses

    Meg Sullivan, nurse at Sherman Elementary School, shows a pupil how to apply an ice pack to his ribs. Last year school nurses handled 366,133 cases for the 37,000 Toledo Public Schools students.
    • Meg Sullivan, nurse at Sherman Elementary School, shows a pupil how to apply an ice pack to his ribs. Last year school nurses handled 366,133 cases for the 37,000 Toledo Public Schools students.
    Meg Sullivan, nurse at Sherman Elementary School, shows a pupil how to apply an ice pack to his ribs. Last year school nurses handled 366,133 cases for the 37,000 Toledo Public Schools students.

    National School Nurse Day on May 9 is a day to recognize the contributions to student health and learning that school nurses make every day. Students across Ohio attend school and fully engage in learning because of the actions of school nurses.

    Ohio was a pioneer among states in the U.S. by enacting laws requiring high standards for nurses hired in schools. The law requires school nurses to be certified Ohio Board of Nursing registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees and obtain additional school nurse licensure through the Ohio Department of Education.The foresight of the Ohio General Assembly ensures that students in Ohio schools are safe and well cared for by nursing professionals with advanced education and training. The dual licensure standards for school nurses requires fingerprinting, background checks, and yearly professional development. School nurses must be highly educated in nursing care of children in the school setting, school disaster preparedness, and of high moral character.

    There has been an alarming trend in Ohio for school districts to hire non-school nurses to care for students’ health and safety needs. Financial decisions at the local school district level may force less than optimal decisions with regards to student health and safety. Ask your school leaders if the person providing health care to students has both an Ohio Board of Nursing registered nurse license and an Ohio Department of Education School Nurse license. Ohio families must demand certified school nurses for Ohio children. Every school district should hire School Nurses and every Ohio child deserves a School Nurse.

    JOAN HLINOMAZ
    Kettering

    Editor’s note: Joan Hlinomaz is the President of the Ohio Association of School Nurses with an MS, BSN, RN, NCSN, and is a registered school nurse.

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    CEOs should be more accepting of employees’ differing political views 

    Someone recently told me her mother used to say to her, “I can’t wait ‘til I retire so I can speak what I think.” That resonated with me. All owners, CEOs, managers, and supervisors should take that to heart and welcome opposing views from their workers. It just might lead to change for the better.

    ROBERT GROH
    Maumee

    Lindsay Webb is not qualified for Treasurer 

    I am a Democrat and faithful Lucas County taxpayer. I an unhappy with the Lucas County Board of Commissioners for allowing Lindsay Webb to be the Lucas County Treasurer for two reasons. 

    First, when Mrs. Webb took her oath on Jan. 10 she wasn’t able to secure a bond  as required by Ohio Revised Code. Therefore, the office should have been declared vacant and another candidate should have been picked.

    Second, it is not in the best interest of the county to pay such a high bond rate for a treasurer where there are questions about her ability to manage her own personal finances. Most recently, the bond for treasurer Wade  Kapszukiewicz as $3,393 for four years, where as the bond for Mrs. Webb is $10,000 for 10 months.

    ERVIN ARNEY
    Central City