We are analyzing House Bill No. 1896 to amend and reenact § 22.1-274 of the Code of Virginia, relating to school health services. In § 22.1-274, the bill stated that each school board in VA should strive to employ nursing services consistent with a ratio of at least 1 nurse per 1,000 students as of 1999. The new bill requires rather than suggests this ratio in each school building. This bill also proposes that nursing services shall include the administration of all medication to students. The new bill would no longer require the Board of Education to determine how school health funds are allocated. In keeping with § 22.1-274, nursing services will still be required to have current certification and training in CPR, insulin and glucagon administration, and emergency first aid.
To view the entire text of the proposed bill, visit: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?111+ful+HB1896
The sponsors of this bill are Delegate Lionell Spruill, Sr. and Delegate Rosalyn R. Dance.
Delegate Spruill, the Chief Patron of the bill, is in committee assignments for:
- Counties, Cites and Towns
- Health, Welfare and Institutions
- Privileges and Elections
Delegate Dance, the Co Patron of the bill, is in committee assignments for:
- Appropriations
- General laws
- Privileges and elections
This bill was proposed on January 11, 2011 and was left in the Education Committee on February 8, 2011.
Having been submersed in the local school systems this semester for our Community Health Practicum, we have noticed there is a lack of licensed on-hand nursing services for the student populations. Although we did not know the number of students at each school, it was clear that the need for nursing staff was greater than what was available.
The issue at hand is, even though it was suggested in § 22.1-274, there is not a ratio of 1 nurse per 1,000 students in these schools. This presents a dilemma for school health screenings and individual student medical attention.
