Board Matter

December 4, 2018

Madam Chairman:

Recently you mentioned the shortage of school nurses.  This has been a longstanding issue in Fairfax County.  While school nurses operate in our schools, they are employees of our Health Department and therefore part of the county budget.

The school nurse program is severely under staffed and underfunded. One nurse may be responsible for up to 4,000 students spread over four schools. When the nurse is ill or on extended leave, absent replacement coverage the duties can fall to the front office staff or parents, which causes a potential liability issue.  At one school in my district, Bonnie Brae Elementary, the nurse has not been in school one day this year and is out until mid-March on extended medical leave.  Apparently there is no back up coverage.  This leaves the 800 students without a clinic nurse.

This is not a simple issue.  Nurses are in short supply and the program is expensive.  But the health of our children cannot be compromised.  Therefore, Madam Chairman, I move without objection that the issue of school nurses and funding be brought before an upcoming meeting of the Budget Committee for further discussion.  It would be appropriate for our colleagues on the School Board to be part of this discussion.