Croydon (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A team of specialist nurses is providing essential care at a Croydon special school, offering daily medical support to pupils with complex needs.
As reported by Inside Croydon, on International Nursing Day, the hard work of the committed nursing staff at a special school in South Croydon is much appreciated.
The nurses at South Croydon’s Rutherford Special School have received recognition for providing the “heartbeat of holistic care” for their students.
For young people with profound and multiple disabilities, or PMLD, Rutherford School, a local charity run by The Garwood Foundation, offers a specific educational environment.
The ability of the professionals at Rutherford School to integrate learning experiences and therapies to design unique activities for every student is a fundamental part of the curriculum.
For kids to attend and benefit as much as possible from their school day and learning opportunities, nursing care must be provided throughout the school day.
“The nursing team at Rutherford School is the heartbeat of holistic care – uniting health, education, and compassion to empower our students with PMLD to learn, thrive, connect, and be their best self,”
stated Lindi Paterson, the teaching and learning lead at Rutherford School.
With a day centre and residential home to supplement the services it provides at Rutherford School, Garwood’s main goal is to be the place where people of all abilities thrive.
The school, which has 32 students enrolled, offers post-16 education to those who are unable to pursue mainstream options because of their medical and physical demands.
When education, therapy, and nursing are combined, children can attend school more frequently, pushing the boundaries of their limitations in a healthy, enjoyable learning environment with other youth up to age 25.
Jade Hallam has been a member of the nursing staff at Rutherford School for three years.
She said,
“I love being part of the nursing team at Rutherford School – no two days are ever the same, and every day brings new challenges and rewards.”
Children with special needs may be more susceptible to abuse or neglect, hence SCPHNs are essential in protecting them.
The nursing staff, which consists of five members, rotates care and jobs so they may engage with every student. The staff gets to work delivering food, administering medication, and getting everything ready for the day as soon as the students arrive for class.
The nurses’ daily schedule is broad, ranging from taking monthly height and weight measurements to giving medication, suction, and feedings.
Since the majority of children are non-verbal and others have low vision,
“We frequently use cues to inform the pupils of what is going on. Healthcare assistant Theresa Bullard explained, “For instance, if we’re peg feeding a student, we’ll be talking to them and touching their belly, or let them touch and feel the tube before we go ahead.”
“We also have systems in place for emergencies. Some of our students are quite prone to seizures, so we’re all ready to help at any given moment”.
There are numerous nursing demands associated with a wide range of health issues, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Rett syndrome, and uncommon genetic disorders.
“The team has been very welcoming, and I love learning new skills,”
said Niluka Vitharana, the newest member of the nursing team.
In addition to its hectic daily schedule, Rutherford School is undertaking significant construction as part of Garwood’s area to Thrive appeal, which will include a modernized hydrotherapy pool, an additional classroom, and an accessible community gathering area.
Since the additional classroom would result in a higher student population, the appeal, which is increasing the remaining £100,000 of a £2.5 million objective, will enable more students with severe impairments to receive special education and therapies at Garwood’s Rutherford School campus.
With the additional facilities accessible for hire on weekends and evenings, the public will also be able to use the hydrotherapy pool for physiotherapy and accident or disease rehabilitation.
Nonetheless, the nursing staff is committed to providing for the pupils: “Seeing the students smile and knowing I have helped them is the most important thing in my job,” Bullard stated.
Visit the Garwood Foundation’s website at www.garwoodfoundation.org.uk/space-to-thrive to learn more and show your support for Rutherford School’s Space to Thrive fundraiser.
How do the Specialist Community Public Health Nurses support students with special needs?
SCPHNs carry out comprehensive, all-encompassing evaluations that take into account the child’s physical, emotional, social, and developmental requirements in addition to the effects of the family, school, and home environments.
In order to provide individualized, person-centered support, they work with families, schools, and multidisciplinary teams to create and oversee personalized healthcare plans.
Early detection of developmental or health issues allows SCPHNs to plan or deliver focused interventions to stop problems from getting worse.
They assess risks and needs using their clinical judgment and knowledge of public health, guaranteeing prompt assistance for children who are at risk, such as those who have mental health issues, impairments, or chronic illnesses.
By addressing health disparities and guaranteeing access to suitable services, resources, and opportunities, SCPHNs serve as advocates for kids with special needs.