Sir Eric Woodward School: parents, teachers speak out against registered nurse funding
A funding furore over a registered nurse position at a north shore special needs school has taken a new turn after teachers walked off the job in protest last week.
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A funding furore over a registered nurse position at a north shore special needs school has taken a new turn after teachers walked off the job in protest last week.
Parents and teachers are calling for the continued provision of an on-site registered nurse at Sir Eric Woodward School in St Ives after being informed by the principal that funding for the position would not be extended by the Department of Education beyond the end of this year.
The registered nurse position has provided a lifeline to students at the school which caters for special needs children, children with autism, physical disabilities and other high medical needs.
There have been concerns the axing of the position would leave students at the mercy of teaching staff not qualified to administer lifesaving medications in emergency situations.
Leanne Nixon, Deputy Secretary School Performance North at NSW Department of Education, on Tuesday told the North Shore Times she had reviewed the provision of a registered nurse at the school and on Friday received updated advice from a paediatrician of a student that she requires the support of a registered nurse at the school.
“Having received that advice, I can confirm the registered nurse position will continue at the school until we receive medical advice that it is no longer necessary as part of the student’s individual health plan,” she said.
But there are question marks over how long the funding will continue for, and whether it would remain in place once the student graduates or leaves the school.
A department spokeswoman in response said the school “could make a decision to fund a registered nurse position at the school as part of its own school plan”.
Parent Namita Biswal, whose child attends the school, said the nurse position has been provided at the campus for more than 17 years and it was vital it be continued for the school community.
“The needs of the children are different to any other school and there are some families who moved to St Ives just to be able to send their children there,” she said.
“There have been incidents where children have had severe episodes of seizure and choking and having the registered nurse on-site meant children were able to receive immediate care and CPR.
“Some of the students have very complicated medical issues and teachers or untrained staff shouldn’t have to be in a position where they’re having to respond to emergencies.
“There a number of children that wouldn’t be able to attend if the funding was taken away.”
The NSW Teachers Federation had echoed concerns from parents amid fears staff could have to juggle teaching duties with monitoring and managing the high clinical and health needs of children.
“These students have high level health needs which include invasive medical procedures including catheterisation, suction tubes and feeding tubes,” a federation spokesman said.
“We wouldn’t accept the administration of such procedures for adults by anyone other than a registered nurse.”
The concerns come after questions over funding for the position reached NSW parliament earlier this year with the Department of Education indicating it was moving towards an alternative model of care involving support officers.
In response to questions over the nurse position at the school, the department in March said the “health care needs of the vast majority of students could be met within the scope of duties of student learning support officers”.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ms Nixon said: “I want to reassure parents that the department’s priority is ensuring their child’s individual health support needs are met, in consultation with them and their child’s medical team, to allow their ongoing access to education.”
The public school caters up for 80 students, ranging from primary students to senior students with more complex health needs.
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