FILE: JGC
STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES
HEARING AND VISION SCREENING
The Vermilion Parish School Board, during the first semester of the school year, or within thirty (30) days after the admission of students entering school late in the session, shall test the sight, including color screening for all first grade students, and hearing of students according to the schedule outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics, except those students whose parents or guardians may object to such tests. Students may also be tested upon referral or requests of teachers and/or parents.
A record of such examination shall be kept and the parent shall be notified in writing of the deficiencies within sixty (60) days.
PERFORMING NONCOMPLEX HEALTH PROCEDURES
The term noncomplex health procedure shall mean a task which is safely performed according to exact directions, with no need to alter the standard procedure, and which yields predictable results. It shall include the following:
Modified activities of daily living which require special instruction such as toileting/diapering, bowel/bladder training, toilet training, oral/dental hygiene, lifting/positioning, and oral feeding.
Health maintenance procedures such as postural drainage, percussion, tracheostomy suctioning, gastrostomy feeding and monitoring of these procedures.
Screenings such as growth, vital signs, hearing, vision, and scoliosis.
The School Board shall not require any employee other than a registered nurse, licensed medical physician, an appropriate licensed health professional, or, in the case of tracheostomy suctioning procedure, any hired and trained unlicensed nursing personnel or unlicensed assistive personnel as defined by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, to perform noncomplex health procedures until all the following conditions have been met:
A registered nurse or a licensed medical physician and, when appropriate, another licensed health professional employed by the School Board, has assessed the health status of the specific child in his/her specific educational setting and has determined that, according to the legal standards of the respective licensed health professional performing such procedure, the procedure can be safely performed, the results are predictable, and the procedure can be delegated to someone other than a licensed health professional following documented training.
The registered nurse or the licensed medical physician and, when appropriate, another licensed health professional shall train, in his or her area of expertise, at least two (2) such employees to perform noncomplex health procedures on the specific child in his/her educational setting. The employees shall be given not less than four (4) hours of training in the area of noncomplex health procedures.
Following the training provided for in #2, no noncomplex health procedure, except screenings and activities of daily living such as toileting/diapering, toilet training, oral/dental hygiene, oral feeding, lifting, and positioning may be performed unless prescribed in writing by a physician licensed to practice medicine in the state of Louisiana or an adjacent state.
The employee, other than the registered nurse, licensed medical physician, or appropriate licensed health professional shall be required to complete satisfactory demonstrations, under the direct supervision or coordination of a registered nurse. Upon satisfactory completion of these noncomplex health procedures, the registered nurse, licensed medical physician, or appropriate licensed health professional and the trainee shall sign a standard form indicating that the trainee has attained the prescribed level of competency. A copy of this form shall be kept on file by the school system.
Individuals who are required to perform noncomplex health procedures and have been trained according to the provisions of state law and this policy may not decline to perform such service at the time indicated except as exempted for reasons as noted by the licensed medical physician or registered nurse. The reasons for such exemption shall be documented and certified by the licensed medical physician or a registered nurse within seventy-two (72) hours.
An employee shall have the right to request that another School Board employee be present while he/she is performing noncomplex health procedures for a student, to serve as a witness to the procedure. After making such a request, the employee shall not be required to perform noncomplex health procedures without such a witness.
Employees who have volunteered to perform a tracheostomy suctioning procedure and who comply with the training and demonstration requirements outlined in #2 and #3 above may be allowed to perform such procedure on a child in an educational setting.
The School Board shall provide the necessary safety equipment, materials, and supplies to each employee who performs noncomplex health procedures. Such safety equipment, materials, and supplies shall include but not be limited to gloves, anti-bacterial soaps and wipes, paper towels and masks.
For the purposes of this section of the policy, employee means any appropriate member of the education staff, and appropriate licensed health professional shall include a licensed practical nurse.
Adopted: September 15, 2016
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§14:403, 17:170, 17:392.1, 17:435, 17:436, 17:436.2, 17:2112, 40:31.3
Irving Independent School District v. Tatro, 104 S. Ct. 33371 (1984)
Health and Safety, Bulletin 135, §301 and §313
Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education
Board minutes, 11-18-82, 6-18-92, 9-15-16
Vermilion Parish School Board