Nurses in Dawson County schools “much more than sick visits”
Board of Education, Community, Featured, Featured Stories, Health November 18, 2020
As the school year progresses, the same COVID-19 precautions continue to remain of high priority. Additionally, there was data presented to the Board of Education beyond COVID-19; detailed information on school nurses.
Vikki Brannon, director of health services, said their focus is parallel to the vision statement of the Georgia Association of School Nurses.
The vision statement is “Georgia School Nurses are prepared leaders who develop and implement a coordinated school health program in every Georgia school to improve the health status and educational outcome of students and staff.”
As a nurse of 16 years, Brannon said she has a lot of experience to ensure Dawson County schools and their nurses are always going above and beyond. Braden said school nurses have a stigma at handing out ice packs and bandages, but they are much more.
“Our nurses are sometimes just looked at as being the sick visits, where we have the coughs and the colds…but they do a lot more than that,” Brannon said.
The Dawson County school nurses see 30-40,000 students a school year – estimating to around 4,000 student visits per month, which is significant data, according to Braden. Out of the 40,000 students, there is only a 4% send home rate.
“Data shows what you do and what you’re good for,” Brannon said.
They are devoted to keep students healthy, according to Braden.
Dawson County school nurses tend to students that have ADHD, psychological or psychiatric disorders and other medical conditions that may require medicine throughout the school day. They are additionally responsible for emergency medicine management.
Braden said – for the application and hiring process for nurses in the county – it is important for school nurses to be prepared for anything. The best experience Braden said to have is go into an emergency room and watch.
“You have to be prepared for anything and everything to walk through your door,” Brannon said. “The moment that we do let our guard down, something happens.”
As for COVID-19 numbers, Braden said since the “pandemic year” began, there has been a total of 308 student cases since the beginning of the year and only two of those quarantined students tested positive.
Superintendent Damon Gibbs said it is important to communicate with students’ parents, percentage wise to make them aware of the positive cases.
“We know our kids learn more when they’re in the building,” Gibbs said. “Our nurses give them some encouragement and getting them back in the classroom is critical.”
Nurses in Dawson County schools “much more than sick visits”
Board of Education, Community, Featured, Featured Stories, Health November 14, 2020
As the school year progresses, the same COVID-19 precautions continue to remain of high priority. Additionally, there was data presented to the Board of Education beyond COVID-19; detailed information on school nurses.
Vikki Brannon, director of health services, said their focus is parallel to the vision statement of the Georgia Association of School Nurses.
The vision statement is “Georgia School Nurses are prepared leaders who develop and implement a coordinated school health program in every Georgia school to improve the health status and educational outcome of students and staff.”
As a nurse of 16 years, Brannon said she has a lot of experience to ensure Dawson County schools and their nurses are always going above and beyond. Braden said school nurses have a stigma at handing out ice packs and bandages, but they are much more.
“Our nurses are sometimes just looked at as being the sick visits, where we have the coughs and the colds…but they do a lot more than that,” Brannon said.
The Dawson County school nurses see 30-40,000 students a school year – estimating to around 4,000 student visits per month, which is significant data, according to Braden. Out of the 40,000 students, there is only a 4% send home rate.
“Data shows what you do and what you’re good for,” Brannon said.
They are devoted to keep students healthy, according to Braden.
Dawson County school nurses tend to students that have ADHD, psychological or psychiatric disorders and other medical conditions that may require medicine throughout the school day. They are additionally responsible for emergency medicine management.
Braden said – for the application and hiring process for nurses in the county – it is important for school nurses to be prepared for anything. The best experience Braden said to have is go into an emergency room and watch.
“You have to be prepared for anything and everything to walk through your door,” Brannon said. “The moment that we do let our guard down, something happens.”
As for COVID-19 numbers, Braden said since the “pandemic year” began, there has been a total of 308 student cases since the beginning of the year and only two of those quarantined students tested positive.
Superintendent Damon Gibbs said it is important to communicate with students’ parents, percentage wise to make them aware of the positive cases.
“We know our kids learn more when they’re in the building,” Gibbs said. “Our nurses give them some encouragement and getting them back in the classroom is critical.”
Dawson County Schools encourage COVID precautions
Community, Featured, Featured Stories, News August 28, 2020
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga.- With the school year for Dawson County already well underway, several precautions have been taken in the “best interest” of the students in the county for a safe school year, amid COVID-19.
“This time of the year, there are all kinds of changes [in the first few weeks of school],” Tiffany Davis, executive assistant to superintendent of Dawson County Schools, said.
The first couple weeks of the school year is when students are deciding on a school, as well as making the change from in-person to virtual as well. According to the Dawson County School District’s website, a total of 3,676 are enrolled, with 523 staff members.
There is a total of 14 positive COVID cases and one staff member.
Hershel Bennett, assistant superintendent for human resources and operations, stated this school year has been more involved on the back end of things to prepare for the arrival of students again in the fall.
“There’s a lot more work [that was] put in [during] the summer,” Bennett said.
Within the schools, there’s constant cleaning, directional arrows – as well as encouragement of masks – and social distancing with each portion to the day including lunch. Bennett explained that the schools are dispersing students to sit in classrooms, while socially distancing, and in cafeteria or lunch spaces.
Bennett claimed approximately 15% of families in the Dawson County School District are attending school online, but that will most likely fluctuate throughout the school year.
Online student login to a classroom similar to the image above.
“Continually having to be flexible and have a plan ready to start school was a key to getting started this year,” Bennett stated.
The school district is taking several steps to keep the students safe, including:
- Buses have assigned seats; siblings next to one another, being socially distant when possible
- Social distancing within schools, with directional arrows
- Use of masks is encouraged
- Created water refill stations; closed water fountains
- Lunch schedules are extended
Bennett said the district will continue to keep the students safe and put them first, as they have been, to give the best learning experience. According to Bennett, Dawson County COVID cases have dropped each week.
“Our schools have done an exceptional job with social distancing, contact tracing and making sure that the students are following as many guidelines as they can to keep them safe,” Bennett said.