Chicago Public Schools have been changing the “formula” on how they use nurses to cover schools.
School nurses are now in a new category, along with other certified clinicians including social workers, psychologists, speech pathologists and occupational and physical therapists.
Our new name is “related service personnel,” and the implementation of the formula is convoluted.
To figure out the number of clinicians who are assigned to meet the needs of CPS children is confusing at best.
CPS is stretching nursing resources and wants teachers to monitor critical health conditions of students.
The chance of medication error or lack of treatment in a timely matter puts children at risk.
Again, when this does not work, people can blame the teachers.
The old adage of do more with less will not work when it comes to caring for children.
— Denise Racky, Oak Lawn, citywide certified school nurse, Chicago Public Schools
