1/21/21 MDPH School Health Unit Updates
Greetings from the School Health Unit!
I have just a couple of updates for you, since I think last week you heard from me quite enough! And I am going to let former School Health Services Director Anne Sheetz give you your weekly dose of inspiration; she sent me the attached letter to get out to all of you. I SO look forward to “seeing” many of you at the upcoming regional meetings and I have also enjoyed getting to “see” and “meet” so many of you through the BinaxNOW trainings. School nurses are my favorite : )
Take good care,
Karen
Vaccine Updates
I have heard from many of you questions and concerns around COVID-19 vaccine side effects that may mimic the symptoms of COVID-19, and how to handle that in the school setting.
Below is a memo from MDPH on this topic as it applies to healthcare workers that I hope will help:
BU SHIELD Updates
Additional BinaxNOW training dates continue to be added, so please keep checking the site here if you are need of a training.
Regional School Nurse Leader meetings are coming up fast! Select the link under your region to register for the (ZOOM) meeting. After you register, a confirmation e-mail will come from Public Health Training Centers containing a meeting link and access code.
Northeast
January 22, 2021 | 1:00PM -3:00PM
Boston/Metro West
January 26, 2021 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Western
January 27, 2021 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Southeast
January 28, 2021 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Central
January 29, 2021 | 1:00PM -3:00PM
School Nurses in the News!
Worcester School Nurses in the news for volunteering to swab at the COVID tent in the Stop the Spread campaign:
“’Rock stars’ swabbing at Worcester COVID-19 testing site”
https://www.telegram.com/story/news/2020/12/30/rock-stars-swabbing-worcester-covid-19-testing-site/4072806001/
*Please note in the “Rock Stars” article, school nurse Denise Khalili was mistakenly noted as working at South High School. She is the nurse at the Gerald Creamer Center. Lee Parent is the nurse at Chandler Elementary School, and Jan Etre is the nurse at Burncoat Middle School.
WPS School Nurse Supervisor Nicole Kazarian, School Nurse Jan Etre, and Chief Public Health Nurse for the City of Worcester, Pat Bruchmann preparing to vaccinate at the Worcester Senior Center for first responders this past week:
https://www.telegram.com/story/news/healthcare/2021/01/04/free-covid-19-testing-worcester-week/4124367001/
Framingham Public Schools nursing staff working their local immunization clinic!
Including some familiar faces; Regional School Nurse Consultants Jill Connolly and Janet Guertin-Moruzzi and Assistant Director of School Health Services Caitlin Pettengill!
Weston Public Schools nursing staff (including regional School Nurse Consultant Janet Guertin-Moruzzi)!
Karen Robitaille, MBA, MSN, RN, NCSN
<she, her, hers>
Director of School Health Services
Division of Child/Adolescent Health and Reproductive Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. 5th floor, Boston, MA 02108
karen.robitaille3@mass.gov
cell 781-675-0463
Personal Webex room: https://statema.webex.com/meet/Karen.Robitaille3