Dear School Nurse,

We hope that the 2009-2010 school year is off to a good start for you. We know that this year also brings unique challenges with it because of issues surrounding H1N1 preparedness, plans and protocols. We wanted to write to update you on what the union is doing and what resources are available to you as someone on the front lines of this health care issue.

Please sign up on the union’s Web site to make sure you get the latest news and information from the School Nurses Chapter and the UFT.

The union has been actively involved in the efforts to stem the spread of swine flu since the weekend of the first outbreak last spring. We have worked closely with the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to develop flu protocols to deal with H1N1 and influenza-like illnesses. We developed and maintain a comprehensive Web resources section on H1N1, which you can find on our “Swine flu: What you need to know” page.

You have probably heard about the recent New York City Department of Health regulation mandating that “health care facility personnel” receive both the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines. We have confirmed that schools are not covered by this regulation and that the DOE will not require school nurses to receive either vaccine.

Most recently, on Oct. 6, the UFT met with representatives from the DOHMH/DOE Office of School Health (OSH) to discuss their plans for the school vaccination program. We raised with OSH many of the concerns we have heard from school nurses about the program.

The union wants to make sure your questions and concerns about the school-based vaccination program are addressed and we are developing a Q & A information sheet on the program to keep you informed. We are also in continuing dialogue with the DOE and OSH and will continue to update you.

Some of the issues that we know school nurses are concerned about and that we will address include:

• Standing orders
• Vaccination program/protocols (which vaccines will be administered, storage of vaccines, monitoring of students after administration, etc.)
• Implementation issues
• The bloodborne pathogen program (including use of safe needle devices and protocols for bloodborne exposures)
• Liability issues
• Protocols and data collection procedures that OSH plans to use to address and monitor seasonal flu and H1N1 in schools
• Communication with school nurses regarding the vaccination program and H1N1 vaccination campaign
• Availability of adequate facilities for handwashing
• Monitoring of students who return to school within 24 hours of having a fever
• Projections for participation in the school-based vaccination program
• Concerns pertaining to special populations (children who are frightened, have significant medical issues, etc.)
• The role of school nurses in assessing flu status of school staff.

We anticipate that additional issues will arise as the flu season progresses and the school vaccination program rolls out. We are here to help. We will continue to press the DOE and OSH to answer your questions and address your concerns.

To keep you updated, we need your e-mail address. Don’t forget to sign up today on the UFT Web site so that we can send you the latest information. Most of the union’s communication is by e-mail only, so it’s crucial that you sign up. Check back here regularly for updates as well.

Thank you for all that you do in keeping the children of our city cared for and healthy.

Sincerely,

Michael Mulgrew	Patricia Ross
UFT President	School Nurses Chapter Chair

Next Chapter Meeting

Our next chapter meeting is Wednesday, Dec. 2, from 4 - 6 p.m.

Check our Meetings page for all School Nurse Chapter meeting dates and locations.

Our History

The UFT school nurses chapter has come a long way since its founding in 1980. We started with only 25 nurses and now have almost 600 UFT school nurses. In every contract, we moved one step closer to gaining a 10-month work year which was finally achieved in 2005. However, over the years our chapter had to fight for Christmas and Easter vacations, increases in experience differentials, additional longevity steps and tuition reimbursement. We have been through the fact-finding process in which we won the same work day as teachers and we have won a two-year-long arbitration that provided us with overtime money for early and late bussing. All of these gains have been achieved because the UFT school nurses are a strong voice within our union. We have also established an educational program with Empire State College that provides a baccalaureate degree in Community Health for our Nurses.

Take a look at our Contract History timeline.

During the 2007-08 school year, we faced another challenge. Regional Nurses and District 75 Nurses were integrated under the Office of School Health. New issues arose as a result of this merger but your chapter leadership is continuously monitoring it closely.

This Web site will help to improve the timeliness of communication to make our chapter more efficient in addressing the issues. Please check back regularly for updates, which will help answer some of the questions that you may have.

In addition, please take a few moments to complete an online survey so that we can work together to keep our chapter strong.