JACKSON, July 12-- The Jackson-Madison County School Board approved a cooperative program yesterday with Union University's School of Nursing which aims to provide school nurses for area children.
The program enables student nurses and a nursing faculty supervisor from Union to be on site at Jackson's Parkview Elementary School twice a week during the upcoming school year.
"This partnership with our local school system is an exciting opportunity for Union," Carla Sanderson, dean of Union's School of Nursing, said. "It will provide clinical opportunities in a much-needed area of practice."
The program will provide health-related screening services, educational opportunities and support services for Parkview students, faculty and staff. Following an initial period of relationship-building within the school, the school nurse/faculty member will incorporate nursing students in developing health programming for the school.
Parkview, a Montessori magnet school for grades K-5, was chosen by the school system as the program's pilot location because of the diversity of its student body.
"Parkview was selected because of its pre-school population of 3-5 year-olds who have a higher percentage of physical disabilities," Carla Sanderson, dean of Union's School of Nursing, said. "These childrens' needs will match the services available from our faculty and students. Parkview is an excellent pilot site to begin defining future work and more widespread involvement."
Union's School of Nursing proposed the program in response to recent trends in healthcare, emphasizing community health.
"Nursing is returning to its roots," Sanderson said. "In the past, school nursing was instrumental in curbing the spread of health problems and communicable diseases. Today, we are redesigning the health care system to focus on contemporary problems such as substance abuse, environmental illness and infectious diseases. In pursuing these goals, we realize children are perhaps the best population to lead toward preventive measures and improved health."
Following the program's initial phase, Union hopes to develop a continued relationship with Jackson-Madison County Schools through further expansion and development of the project. Long-term goals include providing nurses and health services at all area schools. While Union's School of Nursing cannot meet the needs of the entire system, alliances with other nursing schools will be pursued to ensure healthier children.
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Last updated on July 12, 1996.
