School nurses in short supply

School nurses in short supply Cincinnati.com The Cincinnati Enquirer

Ohio has one nurse for every 2,377 students; Kentucky has one per 1,877, according to a 2007 survey by the National Association of School Nurses. Nationally, each school nurse cares for 1,151 students on average.

Most districts surveyed in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have more nurses than the statewide average, but they still are far short of government standards.

Schools should have one nurse for every 750 students, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nurses will be able to handle a mass immunization effort, if it is mandated, said Kathy Inderbitzin, an executive board member for the Ohio Association of School Nurses. But there's still a critical shortage, she said.

"We're all kind of on pins and needles yet about the flu, to find out how it's going to affect the kids," Inderbitzin said.

Schools hire a wide range of medical workers to handle school health needs, from registered nurses with advanced degrees to nurse's aides. In both Ohio and Kentucky, nurses must complete a licensure program through the state education department to officially use the "school nurse" title.