School Physician & School Nurses

 

The mission of the East Longmeadow School Health Services Department is to enhance the educational process by maximizing the health and well-being of school-age children and adolescents. An optimum level of health is basic to effective learning.  The school nurse works with the essentially well child and children with acute and chronic illness, handicapping conditions and developmental disabilities.  The functions that characterize school nursing include skilled nursing care and case management, emergency care, health counseling and education, state mandated screenings, monitoring of mandated immunizations, safety of the school environment, and communication with community resources.

 

 Dr. Donald Shukan provides medical services as the School Physician for all students.  He provides consultation to the school department and the school nurses on matters relating to the health of the school population.

 

SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAM STATISTICS 2002-2003:

Health Room Visits	31,101	Dismissals due to Illness	1,875
Physical Examinations Private School Referrals made and completed	1,101 172 4	Vision Screening Referrals made and completed	1,601 99
Postural Screening Referrals made and completed	1,109 5	Audiometric Screening Referrals made and completed	1,322 32
Students with medication at school	170	Students completing Hepatitis B Series	35
Medical Procedures	3,060	Mantoux (TB) Test	27

 

East Longmeadow Public Schools in partnership with Baystate Medical Center opened a School-Based Health Center (SBHC) at East Longmeadow High School in the fall of 2001. Due to state budget constraints, this school year, the SBHC is open for students only eight (8) hours per week.  East Longmeadow Public Schools continue to receive funding from the Essential School Health Service Grant to provide additional health services for East Longmeadow Schools, nine (9) Recipient Public School Districts and three (3) Non-Public Schools.  In addition the grant funded three (3) Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) for the school district. One AED is in Birchland Park Middle School Nurse’s office, the second AED is in East Longmeadow High School Nurse’s office and the Athletic trainer carries the third AED to all ELHS sporting events.

 

We thank Dr. Michael Lemanski, Dr. Belisa Basile, Dr. Joseph Donatelle, The East Longmeadow Lions Club, and the East Longmeadow Rotary Club, for their support and assistance in providing health care for East Longmeadow students.

 

Respectfully submitted,

           

Mary Lou Donohue, R.N

Program Director  - Essential School Health Service Grant