Charleston Co. School Dist. expanding nursing staff, student health resources

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - As students get back in the groove of going to class, nurses in the Charleston County School District want parents and kids to know that they are ready and prepared for the upcoming school year. 

The head of nursing with Charleston County schools says this year it plans to expand its school-based health clinics and tele-mental health services.

These were made available through MUSC, and they are now updating and upgrading some of their equipment.

“Healthy kids learn better, and, you know, we’re in the business of making sure that our children are educated,” CCSD Head of Nursing Ellen Nitz said. “If a child does not feel well, they are not going to perform to their highest level at schools. Anything that nursing can do to make them healthier, we might be able to meet those requirements for all of our students.”

There are about 125 nurses in the district.  Some are full-time, and some are part-time.

“That’s our job. We want to make sure that we are out there being proactive, and that people are trained and know how to respond in an emergency situation. And it takes a team. It takes more than just a nurse. So that’s why we bring in staff members and get them trained as well. And of course, the nurses there to help lead that effort,” Nitz said.

Nitz says when it comes to staffing, they try to allocate one nurse for about 600 kids. That means in larger schools, there will be more than one nurse on campus. In smaller schools, there may only be one nurse on school grounds.

Nitz says there is a full-time nurse in every Charleston County school and all of the positions are currently filled for this school year.

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