A Note from the Nurse

ACES at Chase. The health office is staffed with a full time nurse and a part time nurse. We are responsible for maintaining the health records, state mandated screenings, assessments of health complaints or injuries, and assistance in health teaching. The nurses are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:15 PM. We are also available by appointment before or after regular health office hours. Please feel free to call to discuss any health concerns that may affect your child’s ability to participate in school.

Email our nurse, Susan Zanker at szanker@aces.org

Email our nurse, Pamela Dube at pdube@aces.org

Visit the Nursing and Student Health page for all health forms

Asthma

Any student with an active diagnosis of asthma (requiring asthma medication within the past year) should have an asthma action plan/medication authorization for a quick-relief inhaler (for example albuterol) or a nebulizer AND have their own medication stored in the health office. The health office is located across the hall from the gym which makes it easy for students to use their inhaler before exercise - if authorized.

There is a section on the medication authorization form for the provider and the parent/guardian to authorize for the student to self-administer their asthma medication, so they can carry it and use it between school and home.

Food or Bee-sting Allergies

Any student with a known history of a severe or anaphylactic allergy needs to have an emergency allergy plan completed by their health care provider. Please call so we can discuss this with you.

Illness

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Please do not send the student to school if he/she is vomiting, having diarrhea and/or has a temperature of 100 or higher. They can return to school if they no longer have these symptoms for 24 hours. 

We see many students with complaints of headache, stomachache, sore throat, and stuffy nose. These symptoms are often due to the common cold or seasonal allergies. Please encourage the student to drink lots of fluids (water) and get a good nights’ rest. You may also want to discuss with your medical provider a recommendation for treatment. Unless the student has an elevated temperature we do not typically request that they go home early.

If you send the student to school when they are not feeling well, please have a plan to pick them up if needed. It’s helpful to tell them why and when they should see the nurse. For example, “go to the nurse after lunch if you don’t feel any better and I will pick you up if you have a fever”. You can always call the nurse to discuss these plans if you know there might be a health issue in school. 

Please consider giving the student a pain reliever (Tylenol or Ibuprofen) prior to sending them to school if needed.

Injury

If the student is unable to participate in gym due to an injury please provide a health care provider’s note indicating the type and length of restriction.

Medications

All medications administered at school must be done in the health office and require a medication authorization form signed by a medical provider and the parent/guardian. An adult must bring the medication to the school in its original labeled container, including over-the-counter medications such as Motrin, Advil, Tylenol and Benadryl. No student is permitted to carry medication in school without authorization.

I hope the above information is helpful. If you or your medical provider have any questions please call us at (203) 639-8403.

Susan Zanker, RN