Video: Lack of School Nurses

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AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) — In 1969, Mary Kirkpatrick Haskell became Amory’s first school nurse and Mississippi’s first school nurse practitioner.

Many of today’s parents and even grandparents grew in school districts with a nurse in the building.  But when schools in Mississippi were hit by state budget cuts, school nurses were among the first to be let go.

With low funding, school districts struggle to find the money to afford school nurses. Grants, like the school nurse intervention program, help to provide funding. The only catch being there are only 5 grants awarded.

Amory, was awarded grant but are still pushed to the limits having three nurses, but four schools to cover. Jolayne Parchman says, “We were fortunate enough to receive the grant making it possible to have a third nurse.”

The younger students are open to more illnesses, as their immune systems are still developing. They also aren’t always aware of the signs of sickness.

“Students come in with any signs of the flu we are calling their parents and advising them that they best option is to check them out,” says Hannah Parchman.

According to the State’s office of Healthy Schools, eleven school districts in Mississippi did not have a school nurse in the 2013-2014 school year.