DPH 9/21/15 Subject: MDPH School Health Updates - Please Distribute to ALL School Nurses
Dear Colleagues,
Hopefully you have immunization records, physician’s orders, medications, Epi-pens®, Narcan® and other essentials to start the school all collected by now! If only it were that easy…..we know that you’re busy every day trying to keep students safe and healthy while at school…and that this is especially challenging at the beginning of every school year. Thank you for all of your efforts to continue to ensure that our children have what they need in order to come to school, to stay in school and to be ready to learn!
A reminder that because we’re often out of the office (especially at the beginning of the school year) as we work to ensure the effectiveness of our programs, please contact your Regional Consultant for assistance for a quicker response for when consultation is needed. Here are their names and contact information:
Region / Name / Office Phone / EmailCentral / Kathleen Charette / 978-567-6190, ext. 1122 /
Metrowest / Patty McCaffrey / 781-314-5543 /
Northeast / Lisa Cross / 508-782-6892 /
Southeast / Ann Klaver / 508-894-4329 /
West / Diane Colucci / 413-750-2511 /
Therese Blain / 413-750-2007 /
Please note: school nurses requesting Narcan® training should look for regional trainings being conducted by their Regional Consultants as well as the Northeastern University School Health Institute. These programs are being provided under the auspices of the MDPH School Health Unit. Please do NOT contact the DPH Naloxone Administration Program; that program is limited to family members and first responders. Requests for training for school nurses should be done through your regional consultant and/or the School Health Institute. Thank you!
We have added a new section to our email updates! MA School Nurses in the News!If you have news articles that have appeared in local press, if you’re willing to share with your colleagues across the state, please forward the weblink (please, no attachments!) to me for it to be included in our statewide email updates!
Thank you again for the work you do to serve the children and youth of our Commonwealth,
Mary Ann, Carol and Janet
From the MDPH Immunization Program: This message is from Dr. Susan M. Lett, Medical Director, MDPH Immunization Program. Please share these recommendations with all pertinent colleagues and staff within your practice or institution.
The MDPH Recommendations and Resources for the Control of Influenza and Pneumococcal Disease, 2015-2016 has been posted on (This year the advisory had a section added to include the latest recommendation for use of PCV13 followed by PPSV23 in those 65 years of age).
The 2015-2016 Influenza Vaccine Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) were published in the MMWR on 8-7-15.
·Choice of influenza vaccine formulation.
oThis year there is no preferential recommendation for any one age-appropriate and approved flu vaccine formulation over another (LAIV vs IIV, quadrivalentvs trivalent, high dose vs standard dose
·LAIV recommendations.
For 2015-16 flu season, CDC and ACIP now recommend annual influenza vaccination for children 2 through 8 years of age with either nasal spray flu vaccine (i.e., LAIV) or flu shot (i.e., IIV), with no preference expressed for either vaccine when either one is otherwise appropriate and available. Please note: the 2014-2015 preference for using the nasal spray flu vaccine (LAIV) instead of the flu shot (IIV) for healthy children 2 through 8 years of age was not renewed. More information is available at: and the 2015-2016 Influenza Vaccine Recommendations.
·Dosing recommendations for children 8 years of age and younger.
oChildren 6 months through 8 years who have previously received 2 or more total doses of trivalent or quadrivalent influenza vaccine as of July 1, 2015 only need 1 dose for 2015-16. The 2 previous doses do not need to have been given during the same season or consecutive seasons.
oChildren 6 months through 8 years who have previously received only 1 dose or no doses of influenza vaccine need 2 doses of vaccine to be fully protected for the 2015-2016 season.
Questions:For questions about vaccine availability and ordering, please contact the Vaccine Management Unit at 617-983-6828. For questions about vaccine recommendations, please call the Immunization Program at 617-983-6800 and ask to speak to an immunization epidemiologist or immunization nurse.
Susan M. Lett, MD, MPH
Medical Director, Immunization Program
Division of Epidemiology and Immunization
From the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE):
Improving the nutrition and physical activity environment in schools can improve student success. The Wellness Initiative for Student Success (WISS) is designed to bring together school wellness teams that include administrators, nutrition leaders, and physical education/physical activity leaders for the purpose of making changes at the school level. Registration for this initiative requires a commitment to attend all designated sessions and to complete all applicable work at the local level. The Initiative will begin in October 2015 and culminate in October 2016 with a celebration of success at the Healthy Kids, Healthy Programs Summit in May 2016. Participants completing the entire series will receive a Wellness Initiative for Student Success Banner to proudly display in their school. For more information see:
Space is limited! Please register at for the October 6, 2015 session. Registration for the remaining sessions will be sent once original registration is confirmed.
Commitment:
·3-5 Wellness Team members per school[i]
·Participation in all sessions (see below)
·Submit current Local Wellness Policy
·Completion of the School Health Index[ii]
·Completion of the Smarter Lunchrooms Scorecard and commitment to implement 10 new strategies from the Scorecard
·Sign your school up to be a Team Nutrition School -
·Completion of the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program – Physical Activity Leader Training
·Sign your school up for Let’s Move Active Schools -
·Completion of an Action Plan that results in changes to the nutrition and physical activity environment
·Share program outcomes and strategies
Requirements:
·All participating schools must sign a letter of commitment to participate in the process
·Wellness Team participants must, at minimum, include a school nutrition manager or director, school administrator, and a physical education teacher. Up to two additional team members may attend.
For more information contact:
Holly Alperin, EdM, MCHES, Nutrition Education & Training Coordinator
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
781.338.6308
From the Northeastern School Health Institute:
SAVE THE DATE!Update for School Nurses
November 3, 2015
Best Western Royal Plaza
Registration and additional information available at
MA School Nurses in the News!
A Day in the Life of a School Nurse The Landmark (Massachusetts): Sandra Berquist, school nurse at Davis Hill Elementary School in Holden (Massachusetts) and nurse leader of the 14 nurses stationed in the Wachusett Regional School District's 13 schools, said that the primary goal for today's school nurse is,"to maximize time on learning for children, or keeping them healthy and in the classroom."Berquist said she is happy with the change she made to school nursing almost a decade ago."I absolutely love it," she said."I wish I had found this a long time ago."Read the article.
From the MDPH Bureau of Environmental Health:
The Bureau of Environmental Health is looking for a school nurse to invite to join the EPHT State Technical Advisory Group (STAG). The STAG meets semi-annually (as a grant requirement) to provides advice and guidance to BEH/EPHT. Meetings are held “virtually” so distance should not pose a problem. If you are interested in environmental health issues and would like to serve on this advisory group, please contact me at by September 15th. Thank you!
From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
OmniPod (Pod) Insulin Management System by Insulet Corporation: Recall - Possibility of a Higher Rate of Failure [Posted 08/28/2015]
ISSUE: Insulet Corporation initiated a lot-specific voluntary recall of 40,846 boxes (10 Pods per box) of the OmniPod (Pod) Insulin Management System. This field corrective action is due to the possibility that some of the Pods from these lots may have a higher rate of failure than Insulet's current manufacturing standards. This recall does not affect the OmniPod Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM). There are two ways in which these Pods can fail at a rate that is higher than Insulet's current standard. The cannula may either completely retract or fail to fully deploy, which may result in the patient not receiving the expected insulin dose. Or the Pod may trigger an audible alarm indicating it will no longer deliver insulin and will need to be replaced. Both situations can result in the interruption of insulin delivery that can cause hyperglycemia, which, if left untreated, can result in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).OmniPods from the affected lots were distributed to customers from December 2013 to March 2015. See thePress Releasefor a listing of affected lots.
BACKGROUND: The affected Pod lots have resulted in 90 Medical Device Reports of which 13 required medical intervention. No serious injuries or deaths have been reported in patients using OmniPod devices from the affected lots.
RECOMMENDATION: Insulet has notified its distributors and customers by email, FedEx, and phone calls and is arranging for return and replacement of all recalled product. Consumers with questions may contact the Company via telephone at 1-855-407-3729 at any time. Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
·Complete and submit the report Online:
·Download formor call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178
From McLean Hospital (Middleborough, MA) – Job Posting:
Nursing Director (Middleborough, MA)-(2263789): Mental Health Consultation to School Nurses Project
·Advanced Practice Nurseor School Nursewith Mental Health Care experience for leadership position in a new school outreach project to assist school nurses in Southeastern Massachusetts. Successful applicant will be clinical director of a grant project that will promote school nurses’ advancement in mental health screening, assessment, and intervention skills through provision of professional development, referral to available resources, and direct phone supervision support to enrolled school nurses. Successful candidate will also function as a community liaison.
·Qualifications
·Education: Masters degree from an accredited school of nursing preferred. Licensure: Current licensure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a Registered Nurse. Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialist preferred. Skills: Demonstrates verbal and written communication skills.Ability to work cooperatively with others.Talent in outreach, support and consultation desirable.Experience: One year nurse practitioner experience preferred. School related experience required. Certification Appropriate to Licensure: American Nurses Association Certification as child, adolescent, family or school nurse practitioner; or Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner; or, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
·Primary Location:MA-Middleborough-MCL Middleborough, 23 Isaac Street, Middleborough02346
·Schedule:Full-time, 40 hours, Day shift
From Sunrise River Press:
Sunrise River Press is still in need of authors to update or write new chapters for the book, Individualized Healthcare Plans for the School Nurse, 2015 edition. There are many expert school nurses in Massachusetts, many who are good writers and/or would like to add this experience. If interested, feel free to contact Martha Arnold, LSN, Editor, Sunrise River Press, at or by phone at: 651-583-2722 (office/home) or 651-428-1795 (cell).
From the John Stalker Institute at Framingham State University:
4-Week Online FSU Nutrition and Wellness Courses Begin October 5. Register NOW! Earning graduate credit is convenient and affordable with Framingham State's online professional development courses. All courses count for one graduate credit and cost only $189 per course. Each course provides 22.5 professional development points (PDPs) for teachers or 12.5 CPEs for RDs.
Dates: October 5 – 30:
·Get Moving: Promoting Physical Activity in Schools
·Hydration and Beverages
·Promoting Nutrition in the School Environment
·School Gardening 101
·Sweet Solutions
Register NOW!
The John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition is a partnership of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Framingham State University.
JSI Resource Center: Check out theJSI Resource Center! Quickly access nutrition resources, reports, lesson plans, training tools, and more in this online resource.The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM):
SAHM launched a new, free mobile app THRIVE (Teen Health Resources, Information and Vaccine Education). THRIVE was developed and launched as part of a collaboration between SAHM, Pfizer and UNITY Consortium to provide parents with a mobile, interactive resource to help teens and young adults aged 16 to 25 understand their role in and increase ownership over their own health.(Reuters, 9/2) For more information and to download the app go to:
Mary Ann Gapinski, MSN, RN, NCSN
Director of School Health Services
MA Department of Public Health
250 Washington Street – 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
617-624-5427
Website: