The Mesquite ISD provides registered school nurses at each campus. School nursing is a registered nursing specialty that involves identification, assessment, prevention and intervention to remedy or modify students' health needs. The nurse's goal is to promote the optimum health of students and the students' abilities to achieve their educational goals.

Each nurse monitors required immunizations, mandated health screenings and maintains communications with parents as needed.

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Immunization Requirements

H1N1 Virus Information

Mesquite ISD continues to follow recommendations from the CDC and Dallas County in preparing for new cases of influenza A (H1N1) virus that are expected to increase in this area the coming months.  Because the majority of confirmed H1N1 cases in Dallas County have been reported in persons aged 18 years and younger, it is very important that we work with students and parents to prevent the spread of H1N1 in our student population.

Symptoms most frequently reported with the H1N1 virus are fever, cough, and sore throat.  Other symptoms include body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, and vomiting and diarrhea. 

Flu viruses are spread through respiratory droplets in coughs or sneezes of infected persons.  Infection may occur through direct contact as the droplets land on someone else’s mouth or nose or when those droplets land on a surface or object and are picked up on the hands of another person who then touches their own mouth or nose.  Prevention is based on limiting exposure through the following:

• Thorough hand washing
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water
• Rub hands together for at least 15-20 seconds before rinsing
• If soap and water are not available, use alcohol based hand sanitizers and rub hands together until hands are dry
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue in the trash
• If you don’t have a tissue, wash your hands after you cough or sneeze
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

People with H1N1 should stay home until they have been fever free for 24 hours (without the use of medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen).  They also need plenty of rest and clear fluids to prevent dehydration.  Ill persons may choose to wear a face mask and to avoid close contact with others to prevent further infection.  If a sick person begins to complain of or exhibit any of the following symptoms, seek medical help immediately:

• Difficulty breathing or chest pain
• Purple or blue discoloration of the lips
• Vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
• Dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants a lack of tears when crying (all signs of dehydration)
• Seizures or uncontrolled convulsions

Precautions to remember when medicating children for flu-like symptoms:

• Do not give aspirin or aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) containing medication to children or teenagers; this can cause a condition called Reyes Syndrome.
• Children younger than 4 years of age should not be given cold medications without speaking with a health care provider (doctor) first.
• Many cold and flu medications contain pain relievers and fever reducers.  Read the labels on over-the-counter cold and flu medications before giving or taking additional doses of Acetaminophen (Tylenol®), Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, or Nuprin®), or Naproxen (Aleve®). 
• Remember that pain relievers and fever reducers may cause a decrease in temperature over a period of time but these medications do not decrease the ability to spread disease. 

Students who become ill with fever (100 degrees or higher), cough and/or sore throat during school hours will be sent home from school.  A student diagnosed with flu who is treated with antiviral medication may return to school if he/she has been fever free for 24 hours.