ND Sees Shortage in School Nurses (ND)

February 8, 2011

Parents and school nurses are teaming up to address nursing shortages in North Dakota schools. But it looks like they may have an uphill battle. A House committee recently gave a Do-Not-Pass recommendation to a bill which would provide state money so schools could hire nurses.

Advocates say North Dakota is almost dead last in the country in nurse- to-student ratios.

School nurses say they`re stretched too thin.

"Sometimes it is overwhelming and that`s because the children are coming to school with more complicated health needs than they were years ago," said Bismarck-Burleigh school nurse Evy Monzelowsky.

School nurses and the North Dakota PTA are disappointed that the House Human Services Committee gave a thumbs down to a bill they`re supporting. The Legislation would provide a million dollar state grant, which public and private schools could apply for to hire nurses.

The state Health Department is taking a neutral stance on the legislation, but says something needs to be done. North Dakota ranks 48th in its nurse-to-student ratio.

"We have a lot of work to do in that area," said Becky Bailey with the North Dakota Department of Health. "We want kids to be healthy and feel safe at school, in order so that they can become good students because eventually they`re going to be the adults and the leaders in our community."

Some lawmakers don`t support the bill because they think school districts should pick up the tab, not the state.

But Advocates say too many school staffers who lack the proper training have to pick up the slack.

North Dakota PTA Health and Welfare Chair Susan McCullough said: "The of fice secretaries and the teachers are very well meaning and they have great hearts, and helping the students, but it disrupts the whole class. It disrupts everything in the office. It takes time away so that they can`t do what they`re there to do."

"We do all that we can to make sure that kids do receive the care that they need, the ones that we`re available for," said Monzelowsky. "I think there is a great need for other students that no one is available for and someone is just filling in the best they can."

Advocates say if the legislation passes, the state would cover half of the grant cost. Schools would pick up the other half.