Health Policy

Policy

• Ahliah School is committed to the wellbeing of all its community members. This policy provides a framework to ensuring social, emotional, physical, and mental health which supports the proper development and performance of the school members.

• Ahliah health policy is aligned with the guidelines of the Center of Diseases and Control for a healthy school as well as with the health and safety standards of New England Association of School and Colleges NEASC and Council of International Schools CIS.

Purpose

• To provide guidelines for emergency care for illness or injury while at school
• To ensure that all students get appropriate referrals to health care providers
• To monitor and control the spread of communicable disease
• To provide education and counseling in a variety of health and wellness topics

Procedures

• A full-time school nurse is available to provide the following services:

             a. Management of chronic illnesses

            b. Diagnosis and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries

            c. Referral of major accidents to the nearest hospital

            d. Detection of infections and communicable diseases

            e. Providing first aid during incidents

            f. Detection of eating disorders

            g. Follow-up on chronic cases

            h. Administering medications for students

            i. Providing individual intervention and emotional support upon need 

• • • Management of communicable disease

1. 1. 1. 1. Parents shall keep their children home and notify the school if their children have any communicable disease or any of the following illness symptoms:

                                             a. temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above that occurred at least within the previous 24 hours

                                              b. Swollen neck glands

                                              c. Respiratory symptoms: heavy nasal discharge, difficulty or rapid breathing, severe coughing with or without fever

                                               d. Skin eruption or rash undiagnosed by a physician with persistent itching of the body

                                               e. Conjunctivitis

                                               f. Tonsillitis

                                               g. Vomiting: two or more episodes of vomiting within the previous 24 hours

                                               h. Diarrhea: abnormally loose stools during the previous 24 hours

2.Students shall return to school with a medical report confirming his/her readiness to join the classroom 

The school nurse shall directly separate from other students any child showing any of the above symptoms during a school day. Parents shall be notified and kindly asked to take the student home until the termination of the illness. The student will return to school upon receiving a clearance from a physician.

• Management of Chronic Illness

1. 1. Parents fill-out and submit the medical file to the school nurse by November of every year.
   2. The school nurse shall provide parents with individualized health care plan based on each medical case.
   3. Parents are invited to share any medical concerns directly with the nurse.
   4. The school nurse shares with the relevant Head of Division (HoD) and teachers any student’s medical information upon need and after parent’s consent.
   5. The school nurse shall build the school community capacity in dealing with students with chronic medical conditions

• Referral of incidents to external medical care

1. 1. The school nurse will report to the Head of Division injuries which require external medical care before leaving the school premises.
   2. The school nurse will notify parents with details regarding the injury before heading to the hospital.
   3. The school nurse will document all incidents and injuries. This includes the circumstances of the incident, the action taken by the school and the follow up required.

• Medical insurance

1. 1. All students and employees are covered for accidents during school days, school outings and trips.
   2. The school medical insurance excludes all preexisting diseases.

• Emergency kits

1. 1. An emergency kit shall be available on every floor of the school building and in the laboratory.
   2. The school nurse shall prepare a customized emergency outing kit to be sent with students on trips and outings.
   3. The outing kit will be handled to the head of the division and returned to the infirmary after the trip.
   4. The Heads of Divisions shall communicate the trip date, location, and participating students to the school nurse one week before the trip date.
   5. The school nurse shall check all emergency kits each semester and before each outing.
   6. The school nurse shall ensure that the risk assessment of the trip is reviewed.

• Coordination of Emergency Care in the absence of the nurse

1. 1. The school nurse shall ensure to provide the teachers with first aid training and customized training to build their capacity of managing students with specific health conditions.
   2. The classroom teacher or the duty teacher (if the accident occurs in the playground) shall give the first aid needed to the student. The teacher shall notify the head of division to make further arrangements if needed.
   3. The Head of division shall inform the student’s parents of the occurrence of any illness or injury during the nurse’s absence.

• Management of minor injuries /illness

1. 1. The school nurse shall respond to minor injuries and illness
   2. The school nurse shall communicate the illness /injury to the parents by sending the relevant form or by direct call when applicable e.g. fever.
   3. The school nurse shall provide an infirmary pass to the students in Middle and Upper school as they visit the infirmary during class time.
   4. The school nurse shall provide the student with a permission slip to leave the school premises when his/her medical case requires and after obtaining the consent of the student’s guardian/s.
   5. The school nurse shall communicate the student’s physical activity exemption to the relevant HoD and to the physical education teacher.
   6. The school nurse shall document all incidents involving student’s safety, student’s altercation and/or incidents that require medical car

• Confidentiality

1. 1. The school is committed to providing confidential care for students. This means that the student will be entitled to the same rights of confidentiality as an adult.
   2. Confidentiality is inapplicable when students represent a threat to themselves or to others. The school nurse shall inform the relevant Head of Division and the Principal to take necessary procedures and referrals. The incidents that could break the confidentiality commitments are but not limited to a suicide attempt, suicide thoughts, substance abuse, and violence or child abuse
   3. The school nurse shall keep all students’ records and health information in the school infirmary cabinet
   4. The school nurse shall disclose students’ health information when necessary and after parents’ consent. This is done if a student’s medical case affects his/her school life and might need special attention.

• Referral to the Counselor

1. 1. The school nurse shall obtain the student’s agreement and consent before referring a student to the counselor.