MY TURN: Support Coeur d'Alene school nurses

Please vote YES for the school levy for every child in Coeur d'Alene. I’ve been a school nurse for 18 years in the Coeur d’Alene School District and our students need your YES vote.  

First and foremost, school nurses are essential to creating a safe and healthy learning environment for our students. They are often the first line of defense in addressing health concerns that can significantly impact a child's ability to learn. Many students have complex medical needs such as seizures, severe allergies, asthma, feeding tubes, diabetes, anxiety and cardiac conditions. School nurses are the link between physicians, parents and staff to ensure that they receive the appropriate care and support they need to participate fully in their education.  

Additionally, each year we personally train staff with the skills needed to save a life such as how to give CPR, Narcan, Epi-Pens and Glucagon, how to use an AED, and how to respond to mental health issues like suicide with QPR training. All of this is crucial, as it empowers staff to act quickly and confidently in life-threatening situations, thereby enhancing the overall safety of our school community. With the growing number of severe health conditions we face, teachers and office staff are being asked to add more medical training each and every year, in the event that we, the registered nurses, are not there on site. Just this week, I had a teacher tell me that she can feel her blood pressure come down when I walk into her classroom where she has one of our medically fragile students among 25 others. 

School nurses also promote health education by teaching students about healthy habits and prevention of disease through organized lessons at various grade levels. We also provide immediate support to students and referrals to appropriate resources, such as free medical, dental and vision care which they may not otherwise receive. All of this helps students build physical and emotional resilience and stay engaged in their education, while working closely with counselors and administrators to create a safety net of support. These meaningful relationships lead to long-term benefits for the student, the school and the entire community.

Supporting school nurses is not just about addressing immediate health concerns; it’s an investment in the well-being and future success of all our students. Healthy students are more likely to succeed academically, participate in extracurricular activities, and graduate becoming a successful part of our community. 

I urge this community to prioritize support for the school nurses in our district, by voting YES on the upcoming school levy. Their expertise is invaluable, and their presence is essential for fostering an environment where every student can learn and thrive. By investing in our schools, we are investing in the health and future of our students and their families, our staff, and community as a whole. 

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Amy Bell, RN, is a Coeur d’Alene School nurse.