HOSPITAL AND SCHOOL TEAM UP FOR NURSE'S CARE

When Cierra Jackson, a kindergarten student at May Greene Elementary School, headed to the nurse's office Monday with a soar ear, she was greeted by a nurse from Southeast Missouri Hospital.

The hospital in conjunction with the school system is providing additional nursing services at the elementary school. Monday was the first day of the cooperative venture.

Helen Porter, a licensed practical nurse who works for Southeast Missouri Hospital, took Cierra's temperature and took a look at her ear. All was clear, Porter determined, and she sent the youngster back to class.

The new program was started after a request from May Greene principal Barbara Kohlfeld. The school district employs a nurse three days a week at the school. The hospital nurse will fill in for a few hours on the two remaining days of the week.

In addition to checking soar ears and scraped knees, the school nurse administers daily medication to many of May Greene's 265 students.

Kohlfeld said that last fall May Greene, the smallest school in the Cape Girardeau district, dispensed more medications in two consecutive months than any other school in the district.

The school nurse is often the primary provider of children's health- care needs, Kolfeld said.

In addition to nursing duties, Southeast's Generations Family Resource Center will provide students with health education including proper hand washing, anatomy education, basic hygiene education, nutrition, first aid and poison education, explained LaDonna Willis, Generations coordinator.

In addition, field trips and a health-careers club for students are in the planning stages.

Funding for the program was provided by a $5,000 grant from the Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation.

"It's a wonderful collaboration," said Kohlfeld. "The schools and the hospitals are both interested in mind and body. The main expertise of schools is the mind. The main expertise of hospitals is the body. Just think what we can do if we work together."

Karen Hendrickson, Southeast assistant administrator, agreed that the project at May Greene is an outgrowth of the work of the hospital.

"Southeast Missouri Hospital has made a substantial commitment to serving the health needs of the community through its various outreach and education programs," Hendrickson said.

The goal of the project is to promote good health habits for the children.