School Nurse Tips

Back to School Tips

It’s time to head back to school and you want your kids to be healthy. The Health Care District of Palm Beach County staffs more than 200 school nurses in nearly 170 public schools to keep students healthy and ready to learn.

Here are 10 tips to help you and your kids get ready for the back to school season:
Print out and post these tips on your refrigerator so you can refer to them often!

	Establish a bedtime routine The week before your child returns to school, schedule time to ensure at least eight hours of sleep. Limit social media time and the use of electronics at least two hours prior to bed time.
	Eat Healthy Meals A vital component to a child’s focus and energy is good nutrition. Parents should allow enough time in the morning so their children can eat a nutritious breakfast at home. Review the school lunch menu to make healthy choices or pack a healthy lunch to go.
	Make a doctor's appointment Before school starts, parents should make an appointment with their child’s doctor in order to get a signed physician’s authorization form for any medication or treatments that the student may need while at school.
	Update Immunizations It’s important for your child to get a physical over the summer and get the necessary immunizations. If your child will be participating in sports, get the guidelines from your school with the appropriate sports forms to be filled out.
	Update changes in child's health condition Parents must update any medical changes on their child’s registration form or with their school. Notify the school nurse if your child has a known medical condition or any other health concerns.
	Bring needed medication to school A parent must bring in their child’s prescribed and over-the-counter medication with the label matching the current physician’s order. All medication must be in the original unopened container, not expired and labeled with the child’s name. Bring in a current picture of your child, required for dispensing medication.
	Meet with your school nurse The week before your child returns to school meet with the school nurse and discuss any special care needs. Bring completed forms from your healthcare provider with parent and doctor’s signatures so that the appropriate training can be done.
	Fill out parent questionnaire/forms It is important to sign and return the necessary forms to the school nurse to get the child’s medical information so an appropriate care plan can be established for each student.
	Update contact information If there should be an emergency situation, it is important to be able to reach the child’s parents quickly. Please make sure to have phone numbers and email addresses up-to-date with your child’s school.
	Notify on sick leave When a child is absent due to medical reasons, please inform the school nurse as early as possible and provide the diagnosis and any changes in medical information for the school’s records.