Since its launch in January, more than 1,500 at-risk children have been served at seven elementary schools and one middle school. Soon, the health bus, which also provides free dental and scoliosis checks, will expand its services to offer physical examinations, immunizations, and lead screenings to address the city's growing problem with lead paint poisoning. We wanted to provide something that would enhance health promotion and prevention in those schools. School nurses may become overloaded in trying to meet the needs of an entire school population. One school has one nurse for its 568 students, Sudano says.
Additional help allows the schools to better address the health of their students.
In addition to providing the screenings, the professionals on board often serve as second opinions for school nurses. Edna Boyd, a nurse at Froebel School in south St. Louis, says she has referred children to the Express for a variety of ailments from sore throats to fungal infections. The nurse practitioner on board examines the children and, if needed, refers them to their primary caregiver or another treatment facility by contacting the parents and following up on appointments. Before, we couldn't get parents to respond. Children's Hospital is working on customizing care on board the bus for each school.