Coronavirus: School nurses have serious health concerns if classes return

Many school districts are deciding this week what they should do about school in the fall, and one big impact will be on school nurses.

As parents weigh what to do, school nurses could see their jobs playing out in a very different way.

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“I think that students need to return to instruction in some way,” said Lauri Combe, a school nurse who also leads the School Nurse Association.

Combe said her colleagues are raising many questions right now about how to handle coronavirus concerns in the classroom, even where social distancing takes place.

Combe said nurses are eager to help but also are worried about their own safety because they don’t all have the right protective equipment.

“I do not think that they have that protective equipment that they need,” she said.

And right now, they’re having trouble getting it.

Nurses also fear that with so much focus on treating and helping students with COVID-19, other student health concerns will fall through the cracks because there won’t be enough nurses.

“The teachers, the administrators, school nurses, schools, psychologists, counselors, social workers are concerned that we’re going to see increased emotional and behavioral health needs,” said Combe.

Combe said schools will need more funding to overcome those questions – something lawmakers are considering right now.

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