Tampa Bay, FL: "Rising rates of food allergies and chronic diseases" in schools; nurses needed

Aug 16, 2017, Tampa Bay Times: Pinellas working out plans to place a nurse in every public school by 2021 http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/pinellas-working-out-plans-to-place-a-nurse-in-every-public-school-by-2021/2333929 Amid rising rates of food allergies and chronic diseases among students, the Pinellas County school district may get enough funding to staff a nurse in every school by 2021. Sara O'Toole, the district's managing officer for school health services, told School Board members at a workshop Tuesday that funding from the Pinellas County Commission would cover the cost of a licensed practical nurse at every school and a registered nurse overseeing every 10 LPNs. … School nurses currently split their time among two or three schools, most days leaving front desk staff to deal with ill children and those with special medical needs. The school district has allotted more than $3 million toward school nurses, and the Pinellas Department of Health also chips in about $1 million annually. "I've already started getting calls from nurses who are interested," O'Toole said in an interview. …This year, the school district expects to staff schools with 39 registered nurses, 35 LPNs and 12 certified nursing assistants. By the 2021-22 school year, according to a schedule given to School Board members, it plans to have 114 LPNs on staff and 12 registered nurses. Bates said of the district's plans: "This is going to relieve a lot of the worry for the parents of children who have chronic illnesses."