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Each Saluda County school has a licensed professional nurse who plays an integral role in health, safety, and wellness promotion. School nurse responsibilities include, but are not limited to, responding to illness and injuries that occur during the school day, coordinating care for students with chronic health conditions, administering medications, performing skilled nursing procedures, training designated staff to assist with medications and medical procedures, implementing SC DHEC guidelines for immunizations and communicable diseases, conducting SC DHEC recommended vision, hearing, and dental screenings, and serving as a liaison between the school, parents, medical providers, and community partners.

Definition of School Nursing:
School nursing, a specialized practice of nursing, protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. School nurses, grounded in ethical and evidence-based practice, are the leaders who bridge health care and education, provide care coordination, advocate for quality student-centered care, and collaborate to design systems that allow individuals and communities to develop their full potential.  Adopted by the NASN Board of Directors February 2017.

South Carolina law requires all students enrolled in daycare and school be vaccinated according to requirements issued by DHEC annually.  Every student must have a valid SC Certificate of Immunization or an allowed exemption form on file.  

REMINDER: A Tdap booster received on or after the 10th birthday is required for all students entering seventh grade.

Please contact your school nurse with any questions regarding immunization requirements.

2024-2025 DHEC Immunization Requirements:
Changes for the 2024-2025 School Year
FAQ: Exemptions from School Vaccine Requirements:
Exemptions from School Vaccine Requirements | SCDHEC

Attending school each day is very important to your child’s education.  Occasionally, illness does happen and deciding when students should stay home can be confusing.  You can refer to the DHEC guidelines before sending your child to school when they aren’t feeling well.

DHEC Exclusion Brochure:
English:  Staying Home from School or Childcare When Your Child is Sick
Spanish:  Su hijo no debe asistir a la escuela o al centro de cuidado infantil cuando está enfermo

Whenever possible, medication should be given by parents/guardians before or after school. Medication that must be given during the school day, including over-the-counter medication, must be delivered by the parent/guardian to the school nurse in the original manufacturer or pharmacy labeled container and accompanied by a completed and signed Permission for Medication form.  Medication forms must be updated annually and any time there is a change in the prescription.  All medication needed at school must be provided by the parent/guardian.  At the end of the school year, all medications must be picked up by the parent/guardian by the end of the last day of school.  Any remaining medication will be properly destroyed and cannot be held until the next school year.

• Students may not carry or self-administer any medication at school without school nurse approval with appropriate completed forms. 

• Handwritten parent notes will not be accepted. 

• Medications brought to school by students and/or without proper documentation must be taken home by a parent or guardian.

  
  

Prescription Medication Permission Form:
RX Permission.pdf

Over-the-Counter Medication Permission Form
OTC Permission.pdf

Each year, Saluda County School District conducts routine health screenings to include, but not limited to, vision, hearing, and dental screenings on students in selected grades, based on annual recommendations from the SC Department of Public Health/SC DPH/DPH. Health screenings play an important role in your child's health and education, as they help identify any issues that may impact your child's learning and academic achievement. Screenings also help to identify students that may need additional medical/professional evaluations. If a referral is necessary based on screening findings, the school nurse will send information home with the student. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to schedule the appropriate referral and to provide follow-up information to the school nurse.

*If you DO NOT want your child to participate in the health screenings, please contact the school nurse and provide a signed statement that you request to exclude/opt out your child from participation in the health screenings.