Company Which Runs Several Local Charter Schools Adding Nurses Instead Of Removing Them
By Lynne Adkins
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A company running several local charter schools is reversing the trend of removing nurses from schools.
Universal Companies, which runs eight charter schools in Philadelphia and two in Milwaukee, has placed nurse practitioners and health centers in each building. Penny Nixon, Senior Executive Vice President of Education says it makes sense, because healthy kids show up to class.
"We recognize that a lot of scholars are absent from school because of health issues, so to tackle the absenteeism we would deal with some of the health issues at the school level."
She says the nurse practitioners can dispense medications, give physicals and well child care and offer a higher level of care than the traditional school nurse.
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