Health Office

The Villa Park Health Office staff is available to support and encourage optimum levels of health and well-being by promoting healthy behaviors, limiting the severity of chronic illnesses, and minimizing health disparities, which improve academic achievement. Developing healthy behaviors begins at home. Recognizing the onset of an illness and limiting exposure to others is vital in keeping our school community safe and healthy. Please review the OUSD Illness Policy to understand when your student should remain at home if not feeling well.

OUSD Illness Policy

Roles of the Health Office Staff

School Health Clerk:

The school health clerk is the “First Responder” in the health office and is vital in monitoring, maintaining, and overseeing the health office. In the event of an injury or illness, the health clerk provides basic care and first aid as well as responds to on-campus medical emergencies when the school nurse is not immediately available. The health clerk assists the school nurse in communicating confidential health-related concerns to school administrators, teachers, staff, and parents. The health clerk is trained by the school nurse to confidentially maintain student health records, administer medication according to prescribed instructions, and perform a variety of medical procedures, as ordered by healthcare providers.

Credentialed School Nurse:

School nursing is an evidence-based professional practice that specializes in advancing the well-being and academic success of students. School nurses address acute and chronic healthcare concerns and physical or mental health trauma in the school setting. School nurses use critical nursing skills to assess the needs of each individual, provide appropriate care, resources, and referrals, encourage continuity of care, promote treatment compliance, recommend healthy lifestyle choices, and develop a school-based plan of care, as needed.

In addition, school nurses offer health education, promote health and safety guidelines, conduct a variety of nursing assessments and health screenings, and actively collaborate with students, parents, staff, and healthcare providers to support students in developing health-related self-management and self-advocacy skills to attain optimal academic success.