CODE: 5141
HEALTH
The
West Milford Board of Education believes that good health is vital to successful
learning. In order to help district pupils achieve and maintain good health, the
Board directs the Superintendent of Schools to develop a program of pupil health
services which employs professional personnel and interacts with both
parents/guardians and community health agencies. The program shall include but
not be limited to:
A. Employment of a medical inspector to perform those duties required by law and
to advise the Superintendent of Schools on all matters affecting the health of
pupils;
B. Employment of a nurse to assist with physical examinations; conduct annual
scoliosis screening; conduct an audiometric screening; maintain pupil health
records; observe and recommend to the principal the exclusion of pupils who show
evidence of communicable disease; lecture to teachers on communicable diseases
and other health concerns;
C. Provision of proper and adequate facilities, equipment, and supplies for
professional health personnel and other staff;
D. Establishment of a system of pupil health records in compliance with state
law;
E. Development of appropriate curriculum in physical education, health, family
life, safety, and use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and anabolic steroids;
recommendations for appropriate equipment and supplies to teach such courses;
F. Development of rules and procedures to foster good pupil health;
G. Development of a program to provide safe drinking water and otherwise to
maintain the buildings, grounds, facilities, and equipment of the district in
sanitary condition in accordance with law;
H. Development and enforcement of an eye protection program as required by
statute and administrative code;
I. Health services to staff which support pupil health;
J. Provision of emergency services for injury and sudden illness;
K. Provision for required physical examinations including an examination to
certify that a pupil returning to school after suffering a contagious/infectious
condition or illness is no longer a threat to the health of others;
L. Development of all regulations and procedures necessary for evaluation of
pupils suspected of being under the influence of drugs/alcohol, tobacco, or
anabolic steroids;
M. Encouragement of correction of defects through informing pupils and
parents/guardians concerning the findings of health examinations.
N. Development and adoption of an annual Nursing Services Plan that includes,
but is not limited to, the following:
1. A description of the basic nursing services to be provided to all students.
2. A summary of the specific medical needs of individual students, if any, and
the nursing services required to address those needs.
3. A description of how nursing services will be provided in emergency
situations.
4. Detailed nursing assignments sufficient to provide the services to students
in all of its school buildings as outlined in N.J.A.C. 6A:16-2.3(b) through (d).
5. Nursing services and additional medical services provided to nonpublic
schools pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-2.5.
The operation of the pupil health program shall be, at all times, in compliance
with the rules and regulations of the State Department of Education, local Board
of Health, and the State Department of Health.
Nonpublic School Pupils
The Board shall provide mandated nursing services to nonpublic school pupils as
required by law.
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
The West Milford Board of Education through this policy shall provide guidance
in the management and administration of the district Automated External
Defibrillator (AED) Program.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a condition that occurs when the electrical
impulses of the human heart malfunction causing a disturbance in the heart’s
electrical rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF). This erratic and
ineffective electrical heart rhythm causes complete cessation of the heart’s
normal functioning of pumping blood resulting in sudden death. The most
effective treatment for this condition is the administration of an electrical
current to the heart by a defibrillator, delivered within a short time of the
onset of VF.
An AED is used to treat victims who experience SCA. It is only applied to
victims who are unconscious, without pulse, without signs of circulation, and
without normal breathing. The AED will analyze the heart rhythm and advise the
operator if a shockable rhythm is detected. If a shockable rhythm is detected,
the AED will charge to the appropriate energy level and advise the operator to
deliver a shock.
The Superintendent of Schools or designee, under the direction of the School
Physician/Medical Inspector, will be the program coordinator. The lead nurse
will:
A. Insure that each school has a medical emergency chain of command;
B. Coordinate training for emergency responders;
C. Develop and maintain a list on the district’s shared drive of all district
employees who are AED approved users and will, additionally, maintain a Central
Office file and individual building file with copies of all such related
certificates from these individuals (i.e., American Red Cross, American Heart
Association, etc.);
D. Coordinate equipment and accessory maintenance;
E. Insure that each school nurse maintains on file a specifications/technical
information sheet for each approved AED model assigned to the school or
building;
F. Revise this procedure as required and so notify the Central Office in order
for appropriate changes to be made to this policy.
G. Monitor the effectiveness of this system;
H. Communicate with the School Physician/Medical Inspector on issues related to
medical emergency response program including post-event reviews.
This policy is in compliance with New Jersey AED law Chapter 34 as listed below:
Responsibilities of Person, Entity Acquiring Automated External Defibrillator
C.2A:62A-25.
A person or entity that acquires an Automated External Defibrillator shall:
A. Insure that any person, prior to using the AED has successfully completed and
holds a current certification from the American Red Cross, American Heart
Association, or other training program recognized by the Department of Health
and Senior Services in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and use of a
defibrillator;
B. Insure that the defibrillator is maintained and tested according to the
manufacturer’s operational guidelines;
C. Notify the appropriate first aid, ambulance or rescue squad, or other
appropriate emergency medical services provider that the person or entity has
acquired the defibrillator, the type acquired, and its location.
Requirements for User of Defibrillator C.2A:62A-26
A. A person shall not use a defibrillator unless he/she has successfully
completed and holds a current certification from the American Red Cross,
American Heart Association, or other training program recognized by the
Department of Health and Senior Services in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and
use of a defibrillator. This section shall not be applicable to a person who is
licensed as a paramedic, emergency medical technician-D, or a first responder-D
by the Department of Health and Senior Services.
B. Any person who uses a defibrillator shall request emergency medical
assistance from the appropriate first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad as soon as
practicable.
Immunity from Civil Liability for User of Defibrillator; Exceptions C.2A:62A-27
A. Any person or entity who, in good faith, acquires or provides a
defibrillator, renders emergency care or treatment by the use of a
defibrillator, or
supervises such care or treatment and, who has complied with the requirements of
this act, shall be immune from civil liability for any personal injury as a
result of such care or treatment or as a result of any acts or omissions by the
person or entity in providing, rendering, or supervising the emergency care or
treatment.
B. The immunity provided in subsection “A” of this section shall include the
prescribing licensed physician and the person or entity who provided the
training in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and use of the defibrillator.
C. This subsection shall not immunize a person for any act of gross negligence
or willful or wanton misconduct. It shall not be considered gross negligence or
willful or wanton misconduct to fail to use a defibrillator in the absence of an
otherwise preexisting duty to do so.
Medical Control
The medical advisor of the AED program is the school physician/medical
inspector, M.D. The medical advisor of the AED program has ongoing
responsibility for:
A. Providing medical direction for the use of AED’s
B. Writing a prescription for AED’s
C. Reviewing and approving guidelines for emergency procedures related to the
use of AED’s and CPR
D. Evaluation of post-event review forms.
Authorized AED Users
The AED may be used by:
A. Trained employees including administrators, nurses, athletic/activities
director, athletic trainers, and office staff.
B. Trained, additional staff as identified by administration; for example,
teachers, coaches, field/game managers, and security staff.
C. Any trained volunteer responder who has successfully completed an approved
CPR/AED training program within the last two years and has a current successful
course completion card.
AED-Trained Employee Responsibilities
The AED-trained employee is responsible for:
A. Activating internal emergency response system and providing prompt basic life
support including AED and first aid according to training and experience.
B. Understanding and complying with requirements of this policy.
Volunteer Responder Responsibilities
Anyone can, at their discretion, provide voluntary assistance to victims of
medical emergencies. The extent to which these individuals respond shall be
appropriate to their training and experience. These responders may contribute to
emergency response only to the extent they are comfortable. The emergency
medical response of these individuals may include CPR, AED, or medical first
aid. These volunteer responders may be provided immunity from civil liability
under the statutory or common law as noted in this policy.
School Office Responsibilities
The school office staff is responsible for:
A. Receiving emergency medical calls from internal locations and alerting the
members of the Emergency/Medical Response Team.
B. Using an established 9-1-1 checklist to assess the emergency and determine
the appropriate level of response.
C. Contacting the external community 9-1-1 response team (EMS), if required.
D. Deploying AED-trained employees to the emergency location.
E. Assigning someone to meet responding EMS aid vehicle and direct EMS personnel
to site of medical emergency.
Equipment
The following describes approved equipment:
A. The AED and first-aid emergency care kit will be brought to all medical
emergencies.
B. The AED should be used on any person who displays ALL of the symptoms of
cardiac arrest. The AED will be utilized only after the following systems are
confirmed:
1. Victim is unresponsive.
2. Victim is not breathing or is breathing ineffectively.
3. Victim has no signs of circulation such as pulse, coughing, or movement.
Location of AED’s
The AED’s will be located in the most appropriate areas in each of the
district’s schools or buildings. The Principal and the school nurse will make
that determination based on the individual building layout. On an annual basis,
the Principal or designee shall notify all staff of the location of the
building’s AED’s. Additionally, the Principal or designee shall notify Central
Office, in writing, as to same. Documents such as school maps, building
emergency plans, teacher handbooks, etc. shall contain the location of the
building’s AED’s.
Outside groups using our school buildings have permission to utilize the AED’s
for medical emergencies provided they follow the guidelines in the West Milford
Board of Education’s policy regarding the use of school facilities.
The district’s Athletic Trainer will retain control of one AED for use at
athletic events.
AED Incident Report
When an AED is utilized, the primary responder is required to fill out and
submit to the school nurse, the building principal, and the Superintendent of
Schools a copy of an AED Incident Report. The school nurse shall also forward a
copy of the AED Incident Report to the medical advisor for review.
Copies of the AED Incident Report Form will be made available to all buildings
by the Central Office for use by the primary responder.
First Reading: February 27, 2007
Adopted: March 27, 2007