Health Services Office

Important Links

The Health Service Office is open routinely from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The school nurse/designee provides health services, consultation, resources and education to students, parents, faculty and staff. The goal of the HSO is to maintain and/or improve the physical, mental and emotional health of students by promoting self-care behaviors that encourage healthy choices and maximize the student’s ability to learn.

Programs supported by the HSO include but are not limited to:

Grade level programs that address issues of decision making and risky behaviors.
Baseline ImPACT testing for all students on entry to NYA, along with yearly testing for all students.
Vision and Hearing screening for 5th and 7th grade students and Vision screening for 9th grade students.

Confidentiality:

All original health forms submitted are kept in the HSO. To provide information to designated persons providing care to students, the form – Health Information & Authorization for Health Care is copied and placed in a non-revealing envelope/binder to assure confidentiality. Copies are provided when a student is off campus for field trips, athletic events or other school related activities and are located in areas on campus for access by school personnel providing care. Designated areas on campus are the Main Office, Middle School Office (for middle school students only) and areas designated by the Crisis Management Team.

It is important for the school nurse, designated faculty/staff/coaches and emergency health care providers to have current/updated information to provide safe and appropriate care. During the school year, parents should notify the HSO of any changes in a student’s health status, including illness, injury, or change in prescription medication.
If there is information you are concerned about submitting on any form, please contact the school nurse to discuss your concerns and develop a plan.

Health Forms:

To ensure health and well being of students, specified health forms are required and need to be submitted for each student. It is important that the HSO receive all health forms prior to start of pre-season athletics, class trips and start of school. Students whose forms are not submitted by the deadline will not be allowed to participate in pre and/or regular season athletics, class trips or other off-campus activities until completed forms are received by the HSO. In addition, if forms are not received within two weeks of the students’ pre-season or first commitment at NYA, the student will not be allowed to attend any NYA function including academic classesunless prior arrangements with the school nurse have been made. All forms are reviewed by the school nurse and stored in the HSO.

Forms to be completed by parent or guardian:

Health Information & Authorization for Health Care (annually)
Maine School Asthma Plan (annually if indicated by diagnosis of asthma)
Food Allergy Action Plan (annually if indicated by diagnosis of food allergy)
Authorization For Administration of Medication by School Personnel (when medication is required during school and/or when off campus on a school sponsored event)

Forms to be completed by healthcare provider:

Physical Exam (on entry to NYA, and as needed to maintain an exam on file less than 24 months old)
or Waiver of Exam (after initial physical submitted and then due dates of physical exam)
Immunization Record/Exemption (on entry and updated on physical every two years)
Maine School Asthma Plan (annually if indicated by diagnosis of asthma)
Food Allergy Action Plan (annually if indicated by diagnosis of food allergy)
Authorization For Administration of Medication by School Personnel (when medication is required during school and/or when off campus on a school sponsored event)

Injury or Illness:

First aid and over-the counter-medications are available to all students in accordance with the student health forms submitted by the parent or guardian. Care is usually provided by an RN but when not available by faculty/staff or coaches during athletics.
If a student needs to go home due to illness/injury the school nurse or main office will contact the parent/guardian/designated emergency contact to come and pick up the student. It is important to keep contact phone numbers up-to-date so that the student can go home in a timely fashion.
For those students who are driving or walking home, verbal permission must be obtained from the parent/guardian. The school nurse/designee may assess that the student is unable to drive and require pickup by the parent/guardian.
If an emergency exists for an ill/injured student, 911 will be called, and every effort will be made to contact parent/guardian. A designated NYA employee will accompany any student transported to the hospital and remain with the student until the parent/guardian arrives.

If a student is unable to participate in athletics for an extended period of time due to physical limitation as diagnosed by a physician, a note of limitations in writing is required. This is then followed with a note when physician determines the student is able to re-enter physical activity and at what level if limitations continue. All physician documentation should be on letterhead. Physician documentation is needed for the following but not limited to: concussion, severe sprains, fractures and post surgery.

Medication:

Students are NOT allowed to carry medication (prescription or over-the-counter) unless authorized by the Health Office and with a physician order (i.e. inhaler or epi-pen are acceptable for students to carry).
If a student requires medication (prescription/over-the-counter) during school hours, a parent MUST notify the Health Service Office, discuss the plan for administration and complete appropriate forms: Physical Exam, Physician Authorization for Prescription Medications or a signed prescription. Medication MUST always be in the original labeled container.
It is important that the NYA Health Service Office and Emergency Health Providers are aware of all medications students are taking whether during school hours or not. If changes occur during the school year, please contact the Health Service Office.

Promoting a Healthy Environment for the School:

Please keep students at home if they are ill. A few possible indicators of illness: a temperature of 100.5 or higher, throwing up or being too nauseated to eat breakfast, diarrhea, a sore throat that hurts to swallow or breathe, incessant coughing, pounding headache, exhaustion, aching all over. Rest and quiet will help students improve faster, and will prevent exposing the school community.

If the student has a contagious/communicable disease (i.e. strep throat, chicken pox or conjunctivitis/pink eye), contact the HSO to discuss time period required for exclusion from school.

If you have any health and wellness related questions or concerns, please contact the school nurse:

Ashley Wright, RN
(207) 847-5402
awright@nya.org