| PHS Receives Defibrillator |
Pittsburg schools are working to taking precautions for circumstances they hope will never happen. During a ceremony held Wednesday at Pittsburg High School, Lisa Schwob, PHS school nurse, accepted an automatic defibrillator donated by the St. John's Regional Foundation. "We want to place health services where the need is greatest in the four-state area, that is our goal," Merle Allen, president of the foundation said. Pittsburg High School was awarded the defibrillator after submitting a grant to the foundation. Allen said PHS was selected as a recipient because the school acts as a community gathering place. This is the seventh donation the St. John's Mercy Regional Foundation has made to a school. "We've been putting them in the schools that are used for community activities," Allen said. "Now that defibrillators are becoming a lot simpler to operate, we have been able to go ahead and take that equipment to schools and places like that. Places where there are large gatherings." This is the second defibrillator donated to the high school. The Mt. Carmel Foundation donated a defibrillator to the high school in January. That defibrillator will now be placed at Pittsburg Community Middle School. Becky Barrett, PCMS nurse, said she is excited for the school to receive a defibrillator, which will be worked into the school's emergency action plan. Dawn McNay, director of planning for Mr. Carmel, says the foundation has begun to work with the Pittsburg public schools to identify medical needs. "We have a school health task force and as defibrillators have become prevalent in a lot of public areas... we have identified that obviously the school arena is a place to have them," McNay said. "It's a collaborate team, the nurses from USD 250, the administrators and community health is also involved an well as Mt. Carmel. Over the years we've just taken a look at the needs of the school district in terms of health. We've had a long-standing relationship from the health care provider end to continue to improve the health of the students, thereby increasing their academics." With only three nurses for the approximately 3,000 students in the Pittsburg school district, Schwob said any medical equipment is appreciated. "We would love to have one in every building," Schwob said. "But for now we are putting them where we have the largest crowds." To ensure proper use of the defibrillators, school personnel have been trained in the proper usage of the defibrillator as part of their CPR and first-aid certification. The defibrillators will be used, if needed, as part of the school emergency action plan. "During the training we got comfortable with them," Schwob said. "That helps a lot." With an increase in kids with medical challenges, Schwob said having a defibrillator on sight will be a great asset for the students, staff and anyone in the community using the high school facilities. SIDEBAR Although every school in USD 250 does not have a defibrillator, every school does have an action plan that is activated in case of emergencies. Andy Gottlob, George Nettles Elementary School principal, says that his school has an action plan that is put into action if the immediate concern is a child or school employee. The steps are as followed: 1- School office and nurse are contacted, 911 is called if needed. 2- A member of the response team will administer first-aid or CPR. 3- The school nurse or designee contacts the child's family or contact person. 4- An injury report form is completed and kept on file for the district. The Morning Sun, (www.morningsun.net) May 11 , 2006 |
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