Health Services

School Nurse: Sara Smith

E-mail: sarcsmith@greenville.k12.sc.us
Phone: 864-355-6207

Healthy Students Learn Better

Recognizing that healthy students learn better, the School District has a licensed nurse in each school. The purpose of school nursing is to enhance the educational process by the modification or removal of health related barriers to learning and by promotion of an optimal level of wellness. School nurses accomplish these activities in partnership with students, parents, school staff and the Greenville Medical Community.

If you have questions or concerns about your child’s health or school nursing services, please contact Sara Smith, RN, BSN at 355-6207. It is especially important to report any illness or condition that your child has that may require medical support during the school day.

Health Room Policy and Procedures

Medication Policy

All prescription and over the counter medication must be delivered to the school nurse or other designated school employee by the student’s parent, legal guardian or a previously designated adult. It is against School District Policy for a student to carry ANY medication on their person without prior approval. All medication must be maintained in the Health Room. Violations of the medication policy are dealt with sternly. Medication needed on field trips is also covered by this policy and must be administered by an individual designated by the principal. There are separate permission forms for medication on field trips.

• Parents are required to bring prescription medication to school and provide the medical form signed by physician and parent before any prescription medication may be left at school.
• If your child self-administers medication such as an inhaler, a consent form signed by parent and physician is required before medication is brought to school.
• A parent must provide written authorization for all over-the-counter medication to be kept and administered in the health room.

Nurse cannot accept medication until forms are delivered with all required signatures.

For your child’s safety please remember:

• Absolutely no medication will be given without written parental permission.
• School nurses may not administer the first dose of any medication. (Student should be monitored by parent for possible side effects following initial dose).
• School nurses are legally required to administer only medications with FDA approval.
• All prescription medication must be administered as labeled and OTC medications may not exceed package directions.
• ALL medication must be in the original container. No medication will be given from zip-lock bags or envelopes.
• Any medication given every day for longer than TWO WEEKS must have written Physician’s Authorization. This includes Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc.
• No medication containing aspirin can be given at school without a doctor’s authorization. This includes but is not limited to Pepto Bismal, Excedrin, and some OTC cold medications.
• If your child forgets to take a morning dose of medication, school nurses are not allowed to give that dose at school. Parents may come to the Health Room to give the missed dose.
• Students with medication prescribed by a health care provider contained in the original packaging and appropriately labeled may carry these medications, may self-monitor and may self-administer these medications only if we have permission from the prescribing doctor and the parent/legal guardian. If there is sufficient evidence that unsupervised self-monitoring or self-medicating would seriously jeopardize the safety of the student or others, the school district may refuse to allow the student to carry his/her medication.

Contacting Parents

If your child comes to the Health Room and needs to go home, we must contact a parent or legal guardian. We cannot send a student home with anyone until a parent has been notified. This is why it is so very important that we have current information about how to contact you at all times. If your child has an emergency situation or needs immediate care that cannot be provided at school, those contacts you list on the Student Emergency Information Form will be called IF we cannot reach a parent first. Please understand that this is for your child’s protection.

Printable Student Emergency Information Form

On the first day of school your child will be given an Emergency Information sheet to be completed by a parent. This is very important. Please print all information clearly. This will be the only way we have to reach you in case of an emergency at school. If at anytime ANY of this information should change please notify your school nurse immediately.

Early Dismissal from School

Reminder: Dismissals from the Nurse’s Office are not excused absences.

• All early dismissals require a parent or MD note to attendance office when child returns.
• All early dismissals require computer sign out by an adult authorized on the Student Emergency Form
• All early dismissals are subject Attendance Policies of Greenville County Schools.

State Immunization Requirements

A child cannot be admitted to any school or child development program without a valid SC Certificate of Immunization or a medical, religious, or special exemption.

Immunizations required by SC law are Tetanus containing vaccine (Dtap, DT or TD), Polio, Measles (two doses), Rubella (German Measles), and Mumps. Hepatitis B Immunizations is required for students entering all grades. The Varicella (Chicken Pox) vaccine or history of disease is required for all students admitted to kindergarten, and first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades.

If your child does not have a valid certificate, take his/her shot records to your physician or the county Health Department (282-4100). A parent or adult authorized by the parent must accompany a student under 16 who requires shots. For further information, call Medical Health Services at 355-3170.

Our Services

Vision Screening

All students in grades K-4, K-5, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th grades will be screened for distant vision problems. If your child does not pass this screening, he will be screened again in two weeks. If he/she does not pass this screening, you will be notified that your child needs further evaluation by a Physician or Optometrist. Please have this letter completed and return it to your School Nurse. If your child is not in one of these grades, and you would like to have their vision screened, please send a note to your child’s Nurse and he/she will be glad to screen your child.

Hearing Screening

All students in K4, K5, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades will have their hearing screened. If your child should fail this screening, he will be re-screened at a later date. If he/she does not pass the re-screening the Nurse will refer your child to the District Audiologist. You will be notified by mail from her office concerning further evaluation. If your child is not in one of these grades and you wish to have screening, please send a note to your School Nurse and he/she will be glad to screen your child.

Partners For Healthy Children

This is state insurance program offered to low income families for children under 19. If you are interested call 1-800-549-0820.

District Health Forms