ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke City Public Schools has decided to hire its own nursing staff following Carilion Clinic’s announcement in May that it would end its contract to focus on improving access to pediatric services across the region. The nurses start on Monday, September 22.
The school division hired 28 nurses. Twenty-four of them were previously employed by Carilion and have worked with the division before. Most of those nurses are still working at the schools where they worked before Carilion’s contract ended.
“The idea is we want to build relationships, nurses knowing our students by name and need, and so that stays intact for at least the 24 that are out there, and we know that we’ll have even with the turnover with Carilion, we turned that over, and we already filled those positions. So, we’re really excited about that,” said Chief Operating Officer Chris Perkins with Roanoke City Public Schools.
Many parents were initially worried, thinking that one nurse would oversee multiple schools. However, now that that isn’t the case, one parent, Meredith Meier, is feeling relieved.
“It’s important to have the nurses there so not only do they know the kids, they know the families, they can work with them for whatever they may need, as far as medical needs such as diabetes or helping just with the anxious student that often comes to the nurse’s office. They can work with the kid and the family to make sure that they do what they need to have the kid stay in school,” said Meier.
The Carilion Clinic provided a six-month transition period after ending the contract in May.
10 News reached out to Carilion. Since they are still in a transition period, we couldn’t speak with any nurses. However, Carilion Children’s Chair Dr. Drew Herman said in a statement: “We’re grateful for our ongoing partnership with Roanoke City Public Schools as we transition management of the school nursing program and continue access to other on-campus services. School nurses play a big role in student life, and thanks to collaboration with RCPS, we anticipate a seamless transition,” said Herman.
Parents can still access school-based clinics at the following locations for physicals, wellness visits, and mental health counseling:
- William Fleming High School clinic
- Patrick Henry High School clinic
- The LIFT Center at Fallon Park Elementary