Deseret News | School's nurse has helped many, seen much

Reader comments
Cathy Free: School's nurse has helped many, seen much

michaelm | 7:42 a.m. Sept. 17, 2009

It's truly shameful that there are not more nurses in the schools. They do so much more than when we were kids, including counseling about nutrition which our kids really need. They should be doing vision tests, hearing tests, while giving out meds for allergies, asthma, diabetics and more. Too many kids get set back for life because simple things like poor vision don't get found for years labeling the kids daydreamers or slow when they just can't see. This and many other reasons we need to fight for our school nurses and get one at every school and have every school well supplied with emergency and complete first aid supplies. Not a cheap kit fro the drug store like many schools have.

Amelia | 9:01 a.m. Sept. 17, 2009

It really is pathetic that we can't do better for our kids in this state. This woman is in charge of 6,000 students? That's incredible. Thanks, Ms. Free, for enlightening us today about this.

Mr. Petersen | 9:34 a.m. Sept. 17, 2009

No place in the Constitution does it state that kids should have a nurse in school, let alone have schools at all. Get over it you socialists!

Comments continue below

Concerned Parent | 9:55 a.m. Sept. 17, 2009

Where I went to school (back east) EVERY school had its own school nurse. I was shocked when I moved to Utah and found out that the school secretary was the one taking care of all the medical emergencies because the school nurse was in charge of too many schools to make regular visits. For a state that is always extorting the value of our children, this is a disgrace!

Get Real, Mr Peterson | 10:45 a.m. Sept. 17, 2009

To the fellow who says that the Constitution doesn't require nurses, let alone schools: What would you have us do? Should every child (including yours, if you have any) be schooled at home? Get real and enter reality. Our state is at the bottom in everything related to education, including the nursing program. And you're OK with that? What a joke.

Pearl Scherrman | 11:48 a.m. Sept. 17, 2009

The H1N1 flu should not be associated with the pork industry. I live in a state that hog producers have suffered big loses due to people associating the flu with pigs. As a retired school nurse I know that humor is very important when dealing with vaccines, immunizations and other stressful issues that students must deal with, maybe another type of mask would be more appropriate in this situation.

Nurse Erin | 9:42 a.m. Sept. 22, 2009

If it takes a pig nose and a pig on a pen to calm a nervous child. Good for you. I work for a small rural school. Sometimes our kids are out picking with the family to support themselves. Some days it is a second hand coat or pair of pants for someone who is cold. But you could not pay me to return to the hospital again. When I was absent last year for a week I returned to an office of hand drawn cards and hugs from the front door down. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Keep up the good work and the humor in any form.

Anonymous | 7:15 a.m. Sept. 23, 2009

Please, don't associate pigs with H1N1 flu!!! The hog market has taken a terrible loss because some people think they'll get the flu from eating pork!

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