Health Office
The Visitation Health Office supports a healthy learning environment for all students and staff. Our school nurse provides a variety of services, including health screenings for vision, hearing, scoliosis and blood pressure; dispensing daily medications to students; comforting students who become ill during the school day; and providing CPR and first aid training to students.
For more information, contact our school nurse, JoAnne Geiser RN, via email or at 651-683-1708.
Physical Exam Forms and Immunization Records
Students in the following categories must provide physical examination forms dated and signed by a physician within one year, along with all required immunization records. See more information below.
- All new students in all grades
- All 9th grade students
- All 7th grade students
- All Kindergarten students
- All Montessori students
Action Plans
All action plans (food allergy, bee sting allergy, asthma, diabetes, seizures, etc.) must be completed, dated and signed by a physician every year. See more information below.
Please scan and email all physicals, immunization records and action plans to school nurse JoAnne Geiser.
COVID-19 Updates
Visitation follows recommendations and guidelines set forth by the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Find more COVID-19 updates and information here.
Physical Exams
The Physical Exam Form and Child's Health History must be completed by the doctor at the time of your child’s physical exam. The form must be signed and dated by the physician and returned to the Visitation Health Office. All required immunizations records must be included. See information from the Minnesota Department of Health.
Visitation requires a current physical exam for all students entering Montessori, kindergarten, grade seven, grade nine and any student NEW to Visitation in any other grade. The physical exam must be between January 1 and July 15 prior to the start of the school year.
For all athletes in grades 7-12 participating in a Minnesota High School League (MSHSL) sport, the MSHSL requires a physical exam every three years. Coaches will exclude athletes who are not in compliance with this MSHSL requirement. Athletic forms can be found on the athletics pages.
Diabetes and asthma forms are found on the Medications tab.
Immunizations
Minnesota Immunization Requirements
Specific immunization requirements exist for elementary, middle and high school students. Please view the entrance requirements for your child's grade level on the Entrance Requirements tab.
For Families Whose Children are Exempt from Receiving Immunizations:
Please fill out the portion of this form that is applicable to your child.
School Attendance
The following guidelines are recommended by the Visitation Health Office:
- If your child has had a fever of 100 degrees or more, he or she must stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal. Your child may return to school if he or she is FEVER FREE and FEVER-REDUCER FREE.
- If your child has vomited or has diarrhea, he or she must stay home for 24 hours after the last episode.
- If your child has a bad cold with a cough, green or yellow drainage, or decreased appetite, or if the cold interferes with sleep, check with your family physician before sending your child to school.
- If your child has red eyes with drainage or matter, check with your family physician before sending your child to school. Your child will be sent home if pink eye is suspected.
- If your child has a bacterial infection (such as strep or impetigo), he or she must complete 24 hours of antibiotics before returning to school.
The Health Office must be notified of any communicable illness. By following these guidelines, we can help limit the spread of illness and ensure a speedy recovery for your child.
Head Lice
Due to the numerous sick children the nurse attends to each day, it is impossible for the school to monitor without your help. It is essential that you check your child’s head frequently for egg larvae or nits and lice. The Minnesota Department of Health provides this helpful info sheet.
It is important to treat promptly and thoroughly. Remind children not to share hats, combs or jackets. Report known cases to the school health office and direct any questions to the school nurse at 651-683-1708
Visitation will continue to be proactive and diligent in our head lice control efforts by
- Bagging students' belongings upon entry into school in affected classrooms.
- Removing and excluding soft items in classrooms.
- Cleaning and sanitizing of classrooms and shared spaces on a daily basis.
- Maintaining ongoing communication with families in affected classrooms.
Additional resources may be found at the following sites:
http://www.mnlicelady.com/ (consultation, in-home and salon treatment)
http://www.ladibugsinc.com/ (consultation, in-home and salon treatment)
http://pediatrics.about.com/od/headlice/ig/Head-Lice-Pictures/Head-Lice.htm
Medications
Students occasionally need to take prescription or non-prescription medications while they are at school. To help ensure that students receive the needed medication and that the medication is not misused, the school has developed rules for the administration of medication in school.
Please note the following points:
- All prescription medication must be kept in the health office and must be administered by the school nurse or other appropriate school personnel. Students may not take medication on their own during the school day.
- A completed Consent for Administration of Medication form from a student's parent or guardian and medication in a prescription bottle or original container is required before the school nurse will give a student prescription or non-prescription medication.
- If prescription medication remains in the health office after the end of the school year or when the student is no longer attending Visitation, the nurse will contact the parent or guardian to pick up the medication. If the medication is not picked up within one month, it will be destroyed.
Specific Conditions
Allergies
It is the school's priority to ensure the safety of all students; however, we are not able to guarantee an environment completely free of allergens.
Maintaining a safe environment depends on increased awareness and attention to the factors that could trigger life-threatening emergencies for students with severe allergies, and we ask all who use our facilities to be aware of allergens and the risk they pose to students with severe allergies.
If your child has an allergy:
- Notify the school nurse of your child's allergy, and complete the appropriate form on the Individual Health Plans tab and submit it to the school nurse. The school nurse will periodically review the form, but parents must update and re-submit this form every year.
- Each year, prior to the first day of school, provide the following items to the school nurse as needed:
- Anaphylaxis Action Plan signed by the parent/guardian and physician (Note: If your child has asthma, an Asthma Action Plan is also recommended each year.)
- Medications listed on the Anaphylaxis Action Plan (Note: Epinephrine must have pharmacy label attached; check expiration dates!)
- Prior Consent to Release Private Data.
- The school nurse shares information about your child's severe allergy on a need-to-know basis with additional school staff such as teachers, appropriate staff and other support personnel. It is, however, very helpful for you also to make contact with your child's teachers at the start of each school year to inform them of your child's severe allergy and to answer any specific questions and address any concerns they may have.
- Contact the coordinators of your child's before- and after-school, non-school-sponsored activities such as Extended Day. These activities may take place when the school nurse is not available.
- Provide ongoing, age-appropriate teaching to your child regarding his or her allergy:
- Name the allergy or allergens; teach your child how to read and recognize the potential allergens on food labels; teach your child the steps to avoid coming into contact with the allergen(s) to which he or she is allergic; practice with your child how to tell an adult if he or she has had contact with the allergen; practice with your child how to tell an adult if he or she has any symptoms; and teach your child how to self-administer prescribed Epinephrine (only with physician’s authorization).
Websites
MRSA
How is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmitted?
MRSA is usually transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else's infection (e.g., towels, used bandages).
Chicken Pox
What is chickenpox?
Chickenpox, also called varicella, is an itchy rash illness caused by a virus.
Influenza
What is influenza (flu)?
Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease that can be prevented by immunization. It is not the same as the “stomach flu.” Flu is caused by a virus that attacks the nose, throat and lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness and, at times, can lead to death.
Concussion/Brain Injury
Every brain injury is unique, so your symptoms may be different from those of other people. Maybe you are not even sure if your symptom is related to your injury.
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
What is pertussis?
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a disease that affects the lungs. Pertussis bacteria are spread from person to person through the air. A person with pertussis develops a severe cough that usually lasts four to six weeks or longer. Pertussis can be very serious, especially in infants.
What is influenza (flu)?
Influenza is NOT the "stomach flu", a term used by some to describe illnesses causing vomiting and/or diarrhea.