Preventive health services at Vesturbæjarskóli
Healthcare for schoolchildren is part of general healthcare and a continuation of infant and toddler care. The goal is to improve students' health and well-being. School healthcare staff work closely with guardians, school administrators, teachers and others involved in student affairs, focusing on their welfare. All information is treated confidentially. School healthcare services are recorded in the primary healthcare's electronic medical records. Vesturbæjarskóli's school nurse works for the Miðbær healthcare center.
Key components of student health services include prevention, health education, screening and vaccinations. The program operates under guidelines from the Development Center of Icelandic Primary Care for health services in primary schools. Further information about school health services can be found at heilsuvera.is using the search term "heilsuvernd grunnskólabarna."
Practical information
Illness and accidents
School staff provide first aid for accidents or injuries during school hours. If a student needs to go to primary care or the emergency room, guardians must accompany the child. It's crucial that the school has all contact numbers to reach parents during school hours. School health services do not handle accidents that occur outside school hours.
Chronically ill children
Please notify the school nurse about any disabled child or a child managing a chronic or serious medical condition, such as diabetes, allergies, epilepsy, or a bleeding disorder. The nurse collaborates closely with parents, guardians, and school staff to ensure these children receive appropriate care and support on campus.
Medication administration
Following the Director of Health's guidelines for primary schools, strict procedures govern how students take medication during the school day. Guardians of children who need medication during school hours should contact the school nurse directly.
Role and tasks of school healthcare
1st grade (6 years old)
Height, weight, and vision are measured. The vision test is a visual acuity test that measures nearsightedness. A child may have farsightedness or astigmatism without it showing up in the test. Infant checkups are reviewed, and those who have not had a five-year checkup at a healthcare center are referred for a booster vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (in one shot/Boosterix®). Parents are contacted if information about their child's vaccinations cannot be found.
4th grade (9 years old)
Height, weight, and vision are measured.
7th grade (12 years old)
Height, weight, and vision are measured. Booster vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella (in one shot/Priorix®). Girls in 7th grade are also offered vaccination against HPV (cervical cancer). This involves two shots over the year using the Cervarix® vaccine.
A brief interview about lifestyle and well-being is also conducted with the children during these checkups. Students in other grades are monitored as needed.
School nurse
School Nurse: Ester Böðvarsdóttir
Soldis.Birta.Reynisdottir@reykjavik.is
More information about school healthcare can be found at www.heilsuvera.is.