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My two main takeaways:
1. The role of the school nurse! "The school nurse has ultimate responsibility for deciding which tasks can be delegated and to whom" (The Medically Fragile Child, pg. 5). I found this point interesting, as I experienced this last year. The school nurse I work with pushed for a student with medical needs to be home-bound, which his IEP team disagreed with. It was difficult and. at times, uncomfortable to work with her, but these readings reminded me of the importance of collaboration with the school nurse for situations like such.
2. The extent of the responsibilities and roles of special educators related to medical needs in some scenarios. I have not experienced working with medically fragile students, but some of my colleagues have and at first I was in disbelief that educators were responsible for some of the practices I was told about. I was also surprised that educators did not always have to undergo healthcare training for these situations.

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Special educators should provide all appropriate medical assistance to a student as outlined by their IEP and/or doctor's notes. I have experience working with a student that has multiple disabilities and began to require catherization at school last year. At the time, I was a brand new assistant and initially questioned if it would be the school nurse's responsibility or the teacher/assistants. The school nurse did help demonstrate the process to us (teachers), but the responsibility was ultimately on the educators and outlined by a doctor note and eventually included in his IEP.

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The roles and responsibilities of a special needs nurse may be both general and specific. General responsibilities may include tasks that relate to maintaining the child's hygiene, physical health, and mental/emotional health. Depending on the child and their needs, the nurse may have more specific responsibilities. For instance, I work with a young girl with Down Syndrome, who underwent a Malone procedure. One of the responsibilities when caring for her is the daily process related to the Malone and maintaining related hygiene. This would not be applicable to all patients that a special needs nurse works with, but does fall into the general categories of hygiene and physical health.

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I learned from the readings that some court rulings had to be specific as to what was a medical service and who would be providing it.  In one court case, having a catheterization concluded that this need could be performed by a individual who was trained versus a doctor or specialist in a medical setting. This could help define what the student could receive in a school setting if needed.  My assumption is the child had to remain at home or was repeatedly absent for those specific needs.

Another take away was the role of the school nurse. She is a part of the student's educational team. I truly only thought of anyone who was assisting with the child's education. If that is the case, then should a child's home health nurse be considered, especially if they spend a large amount of time with the child during the week or comes to school with the child during the week?

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Special educators are to follow doctor's orders for plan of care as to help address needs of the child within the  educational setting (ex: if child requires a stander, then educators should know how to properly place child in the stander). Some special educators also feed the students at lunch or during classroom lessons (g-tube hookup during class time, helping to feed student to reduce choking, or assisting student while they feed themselves.) Unfortunately, some educators are asked to do so many "medical tasks" that they have lesson time and energy to teach.  Some students have individual nurses who assist them during school. Some students only have the help of the school nurse when a problem arises. Some parents may be informed that their child's nurse cannot stay full time with them at school, which is not helpful.  If educators are not trained well, they can unintentionally spread viruses and bacteria to other students because they were trying to multitask being an "in-class nurse/teacher".  Some teaching is not done, and is not always the fault of the educator, but the lack of support from the educational system, overall. For this reason, parents choose to keep their children home. Their thoughts are "what's the point of sending my child to school if he/she gets sick all the time while they are there?" Teachers need help and the system needs restructuring for our exceptional students.

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The role of a special needs nurse is to give support to the caregiving family/parents. They also are to help care for the needs of the child,physically and emotionally. General care includes maintaining good hygiene goals, following doctor's orders for meds and other individual health needs. Nursing care varies if they are CNA's, CNA-2, RN's, etc. Nurses are to help reduce spread of infection/viruses, if possible attend doctor visits, and help to inform parents of child's needs are changes in plan of care.

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My first main takeaway from this weeks readings was that nurses play an important role in actually protecting the staff of the school from otherwise well intentioned decisions. While this can come in the form of direct intervention, the education that nurses can provide on simple tasks such as lifting students can help ensure that everyone stays well enough to come to work every day. A second main takeaway for me was that there is still a disconnect between school administration and nursing staff as to the care requirements of student with complex medical needs. While I do not find this surprising, I think it is important to remember so that we can continue to coordinate and advocate for both our students, and the support staff that play a pivotal role in the care that helps them access their learning environment.

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I believe the roles and responsibilities of educators regarding the medical needs of students are similar to the those responsibilities that are required for other needs of students. The educator must be aware of the needs of the student, must know how to identify if those needs are not being met, and who to contact in case there is an unmet need. I am careful to point out that while the teacher may need to step in for emergency medical care, they should not be seen as able to fill the role of a dedicated medical professional or nurse as this would do a disservice to both the students in class and the teacher. Sadly, I will admit that I have seen parents who expect teachers to fully fill the role of nurse and it never turns out very well.

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The roles and responsibilities of the special needs nurse are twofold. First, they have an obvious role in caring for all pertinent aspects of the the student's medical needs. This may include tasks that range from medication administration to caring for feeding tubes, tracheostomy tubes, and other medical devices. Secondly, they have a lead role in ensuring that medical care plans are up to day and clearly communicated. A third role of the nurse that is just as important is the role of an educator. Nurses must educate families, patients, and educational staff of the immediate and emergency care of the student to ensure quality and continuity of care.

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One of my main takeaways from these readings are the varying roles of the Nurses from state to state. In some state's, Nurses are able to delegate certain tasks to capable employees. In other states, individuals may not complete tasks unless certified to do so. With so many health care shortages in schools, I noticed that many nurses are being stretched across multiple schools a week. It seems that being able to delegate tasks or require training's for staff could be beneficial in case of an emergency or staff shortage.
Another main takeaway from the readings was the importance of students being in the least restrictive environment but also needing close access to health care. I love inclusion and giving my students as many chances throughout the day to be with their general education peers. One drawback from this can be the access to necessary tools (medications, EpiPen, etc.) in case of an emergency. Some students need to be seated in an area with lot's of safe space in case of a seizure, and some students need to be seated near teachers or para professionals to prevent "running". It can be a tough balance to promote both safety and inclusion.

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The role of the special educator varies depending on the student's plan. Overall, educators are expected to collaborate and connect with the Nurse to ensure safety for all individuals and to be clear on certain roles. Some teachers may be given certain responsibilities to ensure medical needs are met in the classroom and on field trips. The teacher is the creator of the Individualized Education Plan and must ensure that the medical needs and emergency plan (if necessary) are accurate according to the Nurse. The teacher must understand that it is not appropriate to provide any Nursing specific services.

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The role of a special needs nurse is to collaborate with families, staff, and primary healthcare professionals to create a comprehensive health plan for the individual to ensure safety in the school. They are also responsible for formally developing an Individualized Health Care Plan. They are the primary provider of health care services and their roles may vary from state to state regarding their ability to delegate certain tasks. Nurses have to balance many legal conditions and follow certain standards for professional practice. 

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The role of a special needs nurse is to collaborate with families, staff, and primary healthcare professionals to create a comprehensive health plan for the individual to ensure safety in the school. They are also responsible for formally developing an Individualized Health Care Plan. They are the primary provider of health care services and their roles may vary from state to state regarding their ability to delegate certain tasks. Nurses have to balance many legal conditions and follow certain standards for professional practice. 

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One take away from the readings is that everyone must work together as a team when it comes to students who have special needs. There are teachers, nurses, pt, ot, speech and others who sometimes get lost when completing their role for the students as transitions and shuffling of paperwork does happen. It is our goal to be a voice for these students that we do have to make sure that they get the services that they need, especially when it comes to medical services. Another is how important the nurses are at our schools. I knew that they did a lot, but with resources being so low that they are usually shared between schools. Now realizing how much they help with identification and making sure student's needs are met on a medical level is more than what a special needs teacher can provide.

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The roles and responsibilities of a special educator is to provide a quality education by having student participate in curriculum of their same aged peers. Also special education teachers are advocates, resource, health care and liaison between schools and families. They are a medical care providers when nurses are unavailable.

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A big take away for me is that everyone should be working as a big team for every student everyday. I feel some people get lost in the shuffle and their roles just lay to the way side and teachers end up just taking those specific responsibilities. So as a future teacher I think it is important to be in contact and continuous communication with everyone on a specific students team to be sure everyone's roles are being played evenly.
The next thing I learned from these readings are the tasks that the nurses are truly supposed to be doing for these students. I have not encountered many students who have big health needs but even small health needs the teachers are taking care of without the nurse. I think it is important to be trained in all areas but to know what as a teacher i should do but also what the nurse should really being doing because teaching and being a nurse is a lot to take on.

By: Alexis Pattinson

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The main goal of an educator is to teach. But in order to teach you have to make sure that the students well being and health are being taken care of. Teachers become the first line of defense for students with health care needs because they are with them the majority of the day so it is easy to see if there is something different about them or if they are needing something so they can learn appropriately. Teachers should be trained in some health care needs such as asthma, first aid, seizures, suctioning and shunt care, and the knowledge of diabetes. These are things that can easily be detected and taken care of at first by the teacher if the teacher is trained and prepared for these situations with their students.

By: Alexis Pattinson

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They are the leaders that promote healthy planning and promotion for the social, physical, mental and emotional aspects of the students in the school to help their learning. They doing this by daily management of care, communicate with family, cleaning airways, breathing apparatus, insulin, feeding tubes, medications and catheters. One of the most important goals that a special needs nurse does have is creating and updating the student's Individualized Health Care Plan.

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The role of a school nurse is to care for the students health and education because they are equally important. The nurse is required to create and update the students health care plan, train teachers and staff and delegate the things that can be delegated appropriately. The school nurse is responsible for giving medications, placing catheters, feeding tubs, clearing airways for students who cannot, and any special breathing machine students may need to use. The big role of a school nurse is to help the student be bale to learn everyday and receive the health needs that they need to succeed in their education.

By: Alexis Pattinson

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Collaboration is a huge key. It is important for everyone (teachers, nurse, parents) to all be on the same page when it comes to the students needs. It is something that you probably realize when dealing with students, but don't really think about how important it is until it is really spelled out in articles like this.
Something else that I never realized is just how big a role the nurses are supposed to have. I sub in an elementary setting where there are 2 self contained classrooms with students with severe to moderate disabilities. A few along the way have had certain medical needs, whether it be medication, braces, or wheelchair. I have not witnessed the school nurse having such a hands on approach to these students. (with the exception of administering medication, which she has to keep in her office). As a matter of fact, she does not seem to have much to do with the students at all. And after reading through this material, I find that sad and somewhat concerning.

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Some of the roles and responsibilities are to be the teacher (of course). They need to make sure that the student with the medical needs is receiving the same educational opportunities that students without medical needs are receiving. Whether it be in their classroom or another teacher's room. They also have to make sure that the specific medical needs are being met by working with the school nurse.A part of that is making sure that other teachers that have the student for anything (art, music, PE) know how to properly take care of the child's needs or at least know who to call for assistance.

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The role of the nurse for special needs students is pretty big. They are to make sure that the student receives any medication that they are supposed to. But they also make sure that they know the complete family and medical history so that the students exact needs are taken care of. They help the special educator make sure that the student is well taken care of throughout their time in the school.

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Collaborating not only benefit the student but it gives important information to the educator. Special need nurses and educators share the role of making sure the student feels safe and comfrorable. -Mamie

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Roles and responsibilities of special educator related to supporting students with medical needs

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Roles and responsibilities of special educator related to supporting students with medical needs

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Some roles for the educator that are related to supporting students with medical needs are to make sure the student is receiving an education and provided learning opportunities same as the students without medical needs. - Mamie

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Roles and responsibilities of the special needs nurse

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Roles and responsibilities of the special needs nurse

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To administer medication to students. Make sure the students are physically and emotionally stable also to conduct or assign health care procedures for students. - Mamie

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My two main takeaways from the reading are collaborating with all stakeholders involved with a student, and the roles nurses serve with students with medical needs. Collaboration is essential, and it is the most beneficial to the students. It is working together as a unite to support, care, and meet the needs of the students. Collaboration is vital for all students with disabilities, but even more so for an individual with medical needs. It ensures the students are staying safe and healthy throughout the school day and even at home. Also, through collaboration, it means all the responsibilities do not rely on one person, like the special education teacher. We all work better when we are supporting one another and communicating with others. All involved in a student play a signifiant role, and when working together, we help our students be successful.
Before these articles, I never fully appreciated or thought of how important school nurses can be with our students and the IEP. Nurses play such a vital role in caring for the student, supporting the student and the teacher, and planning for the student's needs. A special education teacher relies on their knowledge and expertise when planning and supporting students with medical needs in the classroom.

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Special educators' roles and responsibilities related to a student with medical needs are first to be their teacher. They need to ensure the student is being provided with learning opportunities as students without medical needs. The special education teacher needs to work with others, such as school nurses, to find the appropriate supports a student needs to be successful in the classroom. A special education teacher can also be responsible for providing a range of health care procedures. This means they need to be well trained on how to perform the procedures. Seeking help from a school nurse is one option to learn the proper cautions and implementations. These educators need to have knowledge of their students and understand their needs to be able to communicate them to other members of their IEP. Special educators need to be good communicators and collaborate with other services and stakeholders as well as with the student's family.

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Special needs nurses have many roles and responsibilities. Their primary responsibility is to make sure students are emotionally, socially, physically, and mentally healthy, safe, and ready to learn. Nurses are in charge of the daily management of care, whether that is them conducting the health care procedures or assigning procedures to other stakeholders. If a nurse is assigning procedures to another person, they need to ensure the individual is provided with the proper training to conduct a specific procedure. The nurse is responsible for knowing and understanding all the laws related to treating individuals, so the school does not run into any legal issues. A nurse provides any support for the student and addresses any heathy related problems. This includes vision and hearing. The teachers rely on a nurse to understand and meet individual student's needs in the classroom. A nurse is an essential member of the IEP team and the IEP process. They are a part of identifying a student who shows health care concerns, evaluating the student, including interviews, gathering information related to health, and conducting a health assessment of the student. They are also part of the planning process of the IEP. They develop the student's individualized healthcare plan (IHP), and information from this plan is put onto the IEP for what the nurse will be doing for the student. In the readings, I found that a lot of the times, these nurses are not considered essential for IEP teams. Schools need to understand the roles of nurses and how they can better students' education and support teachers in the classrooms.

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My first takeaway was that I had no idea how large a role nurses played! Working in a high school environment, our nurse does not really do 'diagnosing' anymore. I think in an elementary school setting, you would need two school nurses (one for the general population and one for students with disabilities). I never thought about how nurses may pick up on things that teachers and other supports may not. Something as simple as a hearing disability; a teacher may think the student is being defiant, but when being observed by a nurse, he/she decides to test for hearing loss. It's almost like they should have a double degree!
The second and most important thing I took away from these readings is that collaboration is key.  I feel like this is the case in all facets of education, especially special education. While teachers are proficient in writing goals and the IEP process, nurses have more of a knowledge base in what can be expected of students at different stages and with different disabilities. Through working together, the teacher and nurse can come up with attainable, real-world, helpful goals pertaining to the student's needs.

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All types of nursing requires that nurses ensure their patients are healthy and safe. When you bring nurses into school, you add an education aspect to that. How are the student's medical needs impacting their opportunity to learn? How can these needs be met with different levels of support? School nurses have the responsibility of evaluating students' health, vision and hearing.  This may a bit more difficult when looking at a student with a disability, especially those with low-incidence or multiple disabilities. Health implications may not be apparent to the eye of someone who is not trained in the medical field and could be attributed to a different disability. It is the role of the nurse to look for these hidden health concerns. Once identified, it is important for the nurse to have input in the IEP process as they have knowledge in the medical field that others on the team probably do not.

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The main role of a special educator to all of their students is to be an educator. However, when it comes to students with medical needs, it is important for the teacher to collaborate with the school nurse for many reasons. The teacher (even if never performed) needs to learn how to medically support their student should an emergency ever happen, such as the nurse being unable to immediately service them. It is also important for the teacher to ask the nurse what appropriate goals would be for the student in a medical sense. At what age should students be checking their own insulin levels; when should students notice an effect in prescriptions they are taking; when should students be able to communicate they are about to have an asthma attack? From this knowledge, the teacher can develop objectives in the IEP for the student to work on.

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Collaboration is essential. In order for all of the student's needs to be met, the special education teacher, the service providers, the school nurse, the LEA, the interpreter, and the families all need to collaborate to determine how to best meet the individual student's needs.
Student's with medical needs should not be treated any differently than the other students in the classroom. They are entitled to the same quality education and access to the same least restricted environment.

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The role of a special education teacher is to provide a quality education. Their job in supporting students with medical needs is to, like any other student with a disability, to be apart of the team that identifies, assesses, determines eligibility, and, if necessary, develops the IEP. Specifically for students with medical needs, the teacher needs to be the advocate, liason and the health care provider for the classroom until the nurse can or needs to be involved.

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The role of a special needs nurse is like any other relative service. Their input is as essential to the IEP process as a SLP, OT or PT. Their job is to help identify and evaluate (health, hearing and vision screening) students with disabilities. They also determine eligibility and, if eligible,  develop the IEP. A nurse is able to advocate for students rights and needs based off of their medical diagnosis.