HB 2693 requires annual tracking, recommends higher nurse-to-student ratios in schools
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Senate voted overwhelmingly today to strengthen school nursing services in Oregon. The approved bill, HB 2693, implements the recommendations of the 2007 Task Force on School Nurses by establishing standards for nurse-to-student ratios based upon the health needs of students. The House passed HB 2693 Friday evening.
“School nurses are essential to address the short term medical needs of students, in addition to developing health management plans with students, their families, and the school,” said Representative Tina Kotek (North/Northeast Portland), the bill’s chief sponsor. “There is nothing that can substitute for the services that school nurses provide to our children and our school communities.”
According to the report of the Task Force, Oregon ranks 49th in the nation for nurse-to-student ratios. The average school nurse is responsible for some 3,500 students, compared to the recommended ratio of one nurse to every 750 students. In 54 Oregon school districts, no school nurses were available. In all, 60,023 students in Oregon have access to no or less than half time school nursing services.
“We need to address this shortage. These nurses are the first responders in our schools, often the first people to notice that something is amiss in a child’s classroom wellbeing,” said Rep. Kotek. “Children learn better in healthy environments, and this bill is a positive step toward improving wellness in our schools.”
The bill provides implementation timelines to reach the recommended ratio by 2020. The bill also puts into law requirements for higher ratios of nurses for students needing higher levels of care and annual reporting by the Department of Education on the number of students with serious medical conditions which require school nurse services.
House Bill 2693 now goes to the Governor’s desk.
For more information, contact MaryAnn Almeida 503-986-1444
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