1. Supporting students with disabilities:
a school nurse’s perspective
Lynda Boyer-Chu, RN, MPH
San Francisco Unified School District
UCSF Conference on Developmental Disabilities
Friday, March 9, 2012
3. SFUSD
Total enrollment: 53,033
139 schools Pre-K to 12th
Superintendent Carlos Garcia
Board of Education: 7 elected officials
Total employees: 15,346
Source: Student Accountability Report Card 2010-11
http://web.sfusd.edu/Services/research_public/RPA_DARC/SFUSD_DARC_School_Year_2010-11.pdf
4. Our students are diverse
Chinese
Latino All Others
White Filipino 16%
Black 6%
Chinese
Filipino
33%
All Others
Black
10%
White
12%
Latino
Source: SFUSD Data 2011 24%
5. Student Needs
0% 14% 28% 42% 56% 70%
Free and Reduced
Special Ed
Gifted & Talented
English Lang Learners
6. School staff Student Support
3%
Facilities
2%
Admin
Teachers
Student Support
Facilities Paras/aides
Paras/aides 22%
Nutrition
Teachers
Substitutes 42%
Nutrition
4%
Substitutes
24%
Admin
3%
7. Student support staff
LSPs (MFT) Nurses
Nurses 20%
Health Workers Health Workers
Admin/Support Staff 4%
Nutrition
Admin/Support Staff
Community Outreach 9%
Wellness Coord LSPs (MFT)
42% Nutrition
7%
Community Outreach
9%
Wellness Coord
9%
8. Nurses by work areas
Elementary
Middle
Middle 13%
High
Clinic/SpEd/504
High
41%
Elementary
38%
Clinic/SpEd/504
9%
11. Typical day....
Acute/urgent care (20%)
Case management (30%)
Health education (10%)
Supervision nursing students (15%)
Preventive services (15%)
Staff health (5%)
12. Case 1: Stella
Dx: autism
Needs: medical care, sexual
health education
Family: Southeast Asian,
educated, busy work life,
language & culture
Team: Parents, student, teacher,
MD, GGR SW, translator, nurse
13. Case 2: Lucy
Dx: autism, unknown
syndrome
Needs: hygiene, safety
Family: Middle East, large
family, language/culture, SES
Team: Parents, student,
teacher, SW, nurse
14. Case 3: Kevin
Dx: autism
Needs: hygiene, medical
care
Family: 2 children-both
disabled, denial, Chinese,
culture, distrust of
healthcare system
Team: parents, teacher,
nurse, medical provider,
administrator
15. Ten Tips
1. Be prepared for complexity
2. Key “informant”: teacher
3. Consult with and support parents
4. Involve the student
5. Check in with PCP and specialists
16. Ten Tips
6. Document, get release, write letters
7. Seek out community services
8. Consult with CPS when needed
9. Use technology to communicate
10. Recognize the positives
17. parting thought
“Not everything that is faced
can be changed, but nothing
can be changed until it is
faced.” - James Baldwin
http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/disability-quotes.php#ixzz1nHMT9t00
18. Handful of resources & references
American School Health Association: Resolutions re: exceptional children
CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health: Coordinated School Health Model
National Association of School Nurses: online education re: support for students with
developmental disabilities
SFUSD Student Accountability Report Card 2010-11
SFUSD Profile: http://www.sfusd.edu/en/about-sfusd/sfusd-profile.html
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities: FREE Info & Resource Conference.
Sat, March 3, 2012. www.supportforfamilies.org