Nurse's Resources
- Welcome!
- COVID-19
- Emergency Cards
- Health Concerns
- Immunizations
- Medications
- Illness
- Clothes
- Hearing Screening
- Vision Screening
- Lice Information
Welcome!
Starting in August 2024, Terramar will have a NEW Nurse!
Welcome, Nurse Wendy!
Wendy Ewing, RN
Phone: 623-445-7610
Fax: 623-445-7680
Hours:
Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
If you need to meet with me outside of these hours, please reach out to me via email to set up a meeting.
The Nurse's Office is located in the administration building.
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We are in need of clothing donations!
We need the following:
GIRLS
- pants and shorts
**At this time, we have plenty of tops for all sizes.
Does your student need medication on campus?
NEW Medication Forms For 2023-2024:
Parent Form (for over-the-counter & prescription medications)
Doctor Form (for prescription medications)
ALLERGY Forms
- Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Care Plan
- Anaphylaxis Emergency Action Plan
- Student Severe Allergy History
- 2024-2025 Special Diet Accommodation Form
- DVUSD Special Diet FAQ SY23-24
- Letter to parents re allergens
- Peanut and Nut Free Table Parent Letter
SEIZURE Forms
COVID-19
Unfortunately, Covid is not going anywhere and will continue to circulate every year, just like the flu and common cold. We are now holding Covid to the same standards as the other endemic respiratory illnesses.
- If the student is ill and doesn't feel well, they should stay home until they feel better.
- The student must be fever free for a full 24 hours before returning, without the use of fever-reducing medication (i.e., Tylenol, Motrin, etc.)
- Coughing must be minimal - constant coughing can not only increase the risk of spreading germs, it can also cause a great deal of distraction for the student coughing and their classmates, resulting in a loss of learning. If a student is experiencing constant coughing, they may be asked to stay home until the cough has resolved.
- Masks are optional and the decision to wear one is a personal choice made by the student and their parents.
- We no longer require a negative test to return to school. As long as the above criteria is met, the student is welcome to come back and learn.
Emergency Cards
- List any allergies and chronic illnesses your student may have.
- List any medications they take.
- Include at least 3 emergency contact phone numbers for your child.
Health Concerns
Immunizations
(Clinics available by appointment only)
maricopa.gov/1809/Locations or call 602-506-6767.
Medications
Medications
NEW Medication Requirement
In accordance with the Arizona School Board Association and the DVUSD Governing Board Policy JLCD, concerning administration of medication at school, there is a new requirement in order to give prescribed medications and dietary supplements in the school setting. This includes daily prescription medicines, asthma medicines, and prescribed allergy medicines (Ex:Epi-Pens, AuviQ)
Governing Board Policy JLCD Medicines/Administering Medicines to Students: "There shall be a written order from the physician stating the name of the medicine, the dosage, and the time it is to be given."
All prescription medications must have a written doctor's order with student's name, dosage, time, and frequency to be administered. The medication must be in the ORIGINAL labeled bottle from the pharmacy - most pharmacies will give you an extra "school bottle" if you ask. All forms are available in the nurse's office, or they can be downloaded below.
Basic Medication Information
There are no stock over-the-counter medications in the Health Center!
If you want your child to have an OTC (over the counter) medication, you must bring it in the original container and sign a parent medication consent permission form for the nurse to administer it at school during school hours.
The nurse is only allowed to give the dosage given on the label for the age/weight of your child. If an OTC medication states, "ask a doctor" for the dosage amount, a doctor's note will be required (besides a parent, over the counter medications cannot legally be dispensed by anyone other than a pharmacist or physician).
If a medication states it is to be taken once or twice daily - that medication should be given at home not by the school nurse.
Medications are not kept in the nurse's office over the summer. Medications not picked up within one day of the end of the school year will be discarded.
Field Trip Medication
If a student needs medication while on a field trip, the medication must be furnished by the parent and given to the teacher prior to departure for the field trip. A signed field trip medication form must accompany the medication. The medication must be provided in the original container with only the number of doses needed for the field trip. Medications such as tablets or capsules cannot come from the school nurse's supply. The school nurse cannot legally direct anyone other than another nurse to give medications.
NEW Medication Forms For 2023-2024:
Parent Form (for over-the-counter & prescription medications)
Doctor Form (for prescription medications)
ALLERGY Forms
- Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Care Plan
- Anaphylaxis Emergency Action Plan
- Student Severe Allergy History
- 2023-24 Special Diet Accommodation Form
- DVUSD Special Diet FAQ SY23-24
- Letter to parents re allergens - 23-24 SY
- Peanut and Nut Free Table Parent Letter
SEIZURE Forms
Illness
Illness Information
Flu vs. Cold
Flu is a disease caused by a virus.
It is not the same as a cold.
Symptoms appear rapidly.
Symptoms include: High Fever >101 degrees lasting 3-4 days
Dry hacking cough.
Severe headache
Muscle aches and pains.
Symptoms include:
Stuffy and runny nose
Sore scratchy throat
Cough
No high fever with a cold.
Remember to be a germ stopper and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
WASH YOUR HANDS
Conjunctivitis
IDENTIFICATION:
Pink eye is an eye infection with symptoms of red, swollen, runny and/or sticky eyelids in the morning. It can be caused by bacteria or viruses.
INCUBATION PERIOD:
The period of time from exposure to appearance of symptoms for pink eye is 12‑72 hours.
MODE OF TRANSMISSION:
The disease is spread by contact with discharges from the infected person's eyes. Person‑to‑person transmission is most noticeable in families.
TREATMENT:
Bacterial pink eye can be treated with antibiotics. Contact your family doctor.
METHODS OF CONTROL:
l. Stress good personal hygiene.
2. Do not use other students' eye make up, or share towels.
3. Do not rub eyes.
4. Keep child from attending school with symptoms of pink eye unless effective antibiotic therapy is used for at least 24 hours and completed as ordered.
5. Persons with bacterial pink eye should be treated.
Strep Throat
Signs & Symptoms: In general, strep throat is a mild infection, but it can be very painful.
Common symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Pain when swallowing
- Sore throat with quick onset, may look red
- Red and swollen tonsils
- White patches or streaks of pus on tonsils
- Tiny, red spots on the roof of the mouth, called petechiae (pi-TEE-kee-eye)
- Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck
Less common symptoms, especially in children, may include:
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Stomach pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Rash (scarlet fever)
Immediate Intervention: Isolate, exclude from school classroom, and refer to a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Incubation Period: From 1-3 days.
Contagious Period: Untreated, 10-21 days. When treated with antibiotics, up to 48 hours after first dose.
When To Return to School (DVUSD Policy)
Students can return 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotics AND when they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications (Tylenol, Motrin, etc.).
How do you stop the spread of Strep Throat?
- Thoroughly washing your hands after wiping your nose and before eating or preparing food.
- Wash dishes carefully in HOT water or in a dishwasher.
- Do not allow the sharing of food, cups, spoons, or toys that are put in the mouth.
Questions or Concerns?
Please contact your school nurse.
School Nurse: Melina Mirabal, RN, BSN
Phone Number: 623-445-7610
Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/groupastrep/diseases-public/strep-throat.html
School is no place for a sick child.
If your child has had a fever (temperature of 100 or more) at home do not send them back to school until they are fever free for 24 hours, without the use of medication such as Tylenol. Do not send your child to school with any vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, or any other contagious diseases like strep throat or pink eye. They are usually able to return to school after they have had no symptoms for 24 hours and/or have been on antibiotics for 24 hours.
Clothes
If your student is in Kindergarten, or prone to toileting accidents, please keep an extra pair of clothes in their backpack for emergencies. The Nurse's Office has a limited supply of extra clothing. Please wash and return any clothes borrowed from school.
At time we are in need of little kid size socks.
Hearing Screening
Hearing tests will be done on all students in grades PK, K,1,3,5 and 7. In addition any new students to Deer Valley Unified School District and any students in resource classes will also be screened. If your student fails 2 screenings with the nurse (spaced 30-45days apart) a letter will be mailed home for a referral with our district audiologist. You will be able to make an appointment with our district audiologist who can screen your student free of charge. You may also choose to see a private audiologist through your private health insurance.
Welcome to the start of a new school year! I will begin screening students for vision and hearing concerns in the next few weeks. If there is a concern about your students' hearing or vision, I will send a letter home to notify you that follow-up is needed. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns regarding these annual screenings.
Vision Screening
Students are screened every year in grades PK, K, 1, 3, and 5. In addition, any new students to Deer Valley Unified School District and students in any resource classes are screened yearly. If your student fails the screening a referral letter will be mailed home. Please bring the letter to your eye care professional, have them fill out the form and return it to the nurse's office.
Lice Information
Our district has a "no nit" (lice egg) requirement in order for your child to return to school. Proper treatment with appropriate shampoo or rinse labeled for controlling lice and removal of all eggs is necessary before your child may return.
- Itchy head or tickling sensation (most common)
- Feelings of something moving through the hair or on the head
- Sores on the head from scratching
- Difficulty sleeping as lice are more active at night
Treatment:
- Over the counter treatment kits may be found at most grocery stores, CVS/Walgreens, Target/Walmart. Treatment must be repeated 7-10 days after the first application.
- Nonpharmacological treatment can be used for parents who prefer to avoid chemical treatment. Nonpharmacological treatment requires rigorous wet combing every 3 days for 2 weeks, although cure rate is significantly improved with combing every 24 hours for 2 weeks.
- Avoid head to head contact
- Do not share brushes, combs, or towels (disinfect by soaking in hot water, at least 130 degrees)
- Do not share clothing, hats, scarves, barrettes, hair ribbons, coats, etc.
Tips:
- Perform weekly hair/head checks
- Encourage your child not to hug friends or share clothing, hats, or hair ties.
- After slumber parties increase hair/head inspections, wash and dry clothing/bedding in water that is at least 130 degrees.
- Children with long hair should keep their hair contained with a ponytail, braid, etc., this will decrease the likelihood of hair to hair transmission during play and close contact during school activities.
If your child has lice please inform the school nurse 623-445-7610. Information is kept confidential.
Please feel free to visit the CDC or Mayo Clinic websites for more information regarding head lice.