Suzanne Brinkman, BSN, RN
School Nurse
Suzanne Brinkman is the district nurse for Boscobel Area Schools. She provides on-site care for injury and illness and health consultation for students, parents, and staff. She typically works Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. She can be reached at her phone or email.
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Phone: (608) 375-4165, EXT# 3003 Email
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What Do We Do?
School nurses save lives, increase student attendance and decrease early dismissals. They also:
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Are the first line of defense against epidemics and disease outbreaks- monitoring the health of the overall population and connecting with public health officials.
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Are the first responders to critical incidents on school property.
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Provide direct health services for students.
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Identify threats to health in the school community and work to eliminate those problems.
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Provide leadership for the provision of health services, health policies and programs.
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Provide a critical safety net for the most fragile students.
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Provide screening and referral for health conditions such as vision and hearing, as well as illnesses and diseases.
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Promote a healthy school environment that supports learning.
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Enable children with chronic health conditions to attend school.
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Serve as a liaison between school personnel, family, community, and health care partners.
Medication(s):
The school does not supply any medications for students. If your child requires any medication at any time at school, a medication consent form must be completed and signed by the parent/guardian. If your child requires a prescription medication at school, the consent form must also be signed by the doctor or practitioner. Medication dosages outside of the recommended therapeutic dose or beyond the instructions on the package label must be authorized in writing by a practitioner. Substances that are not FDA approved and natural/herbal products or food supplements will require a practitioner signature. Medications need to be in the original packaging and properly labeled. A new medication form is needed each time the medication is changed, and a new one is needed for each school year. Permission for medications must be given in writing. We will not be able to administer medications without the proper written authorization, and we are unable to administer medications that do not come in the original packaging or with proper prescription labels. We are also not able to administer expired medications.
Our goal is not to eradicate head lice (since this is impossible), but to keep it at a manageable level and absenteeism at a minimum. It is a good practice to screen your child(ren) weekly at home. If head lice are present, then screen adults in the household. Concentrate less on the environment and more on the child’s head, bed linens and child’s clothing when treating for lice. Lice are typically spread by very close contact, such as during sleepovers. Head lice is not likely to spread in the classroom. School-wide or classroom lice screenings are not recommended because they are time-consuming and unproductive. The best follow-up at school is to screen siblings and friends who have had close contact. Lice-killing treatments are not always 100% effective, especially for nits (eggs). Nits often survive, hatch, and re-infest the child. Therefore, efforts to comb out or remove nits that are close to the scalp are important. A nit comb may help with this process. Vinegar rinses may help loosen nits but will not kill lice. Environmental lice sprays are generally not recommended. Pets do not carry human head lice, therefore it is not necessary to treat pets. A common approach to head lice treatment is to use an over-the-counter medication. While these treatments can be effective, resistance to some over-the-counter head lice treatments has been reported. For more information regarding head lice detection and treatment, contact the school nurse, or Grant County Health Department. You can also check with your health care provider, especially since some insurances will pay for specific head lice treatments.