Business and Economics Academy of Milwaukee Inc

The Business and Economics Academy of Milwaukee (BEAM) serves 615 predominately minority students, with approximately 98 percent of the population being eligible for free or reduced lunch. 
 

 

According to Children’s Hospital and Health System (CHHS), there is a strong relationship between health status, school attendance, and academic achievement of children and youth.  As we examine the socioeconomic status of the student population at BEAM, healthcare is a critical issue.  Therefore, nursing services are imperative for the success of our students. 
 

 

In the last two school years, the school has had up to 33 students on the Life Threatening Alerts list compiled by school nurses from CHHS.  The students on past lists have had conditions such as food allergies that can result in anaphylactic shock and the need for the administration of an epinephrine pen, asthma that requires the use of inhalers and nebulizer machines, allergies to medicines, and students with polycystic kidney disease and/ or a missing kidney. BEAM has also previously served a type 1 diabetic student who needed to have insulin injections administered during the school day. 
 

 

 In addition to managing the health needs of these students, previous school nurses have provided 16 classes covering health, wellness, personal development, dental health and safety. These classes were made available to all classrooms, and were designed to be grade level appropriate. Past school nurses also provided much needed hearing and vision screenings to the BEAM student population, and have arranged dental clinics that provided school wide dental cleaning and sealant services. Their service also included identifying infestations on children, such as lice, and scabies, and identifying bed bug bites and MRSA Staph infections.   
 

 

Given the poverty levels experienced by a large population of BEAM students, many may not receive the health screenings, health and safety education, dental services, chronic disease management, or timely condition/illness identification they need and deserve, if BEAM is not able to provide them with school nursing services.   Considering that a number of students have life threatening conditions, it is imperative that a medical professional be on site in case of student medical emergencies.  BEAM instructional, administrative, and support staff are not equipped to address such emergencies. Being forced to wait for outside medical assistance could potentially result in avoidable damage or loss of one or more student lives.  Given the great need of a school nurse for the BEAM student population, BEAM is in need of an onsite nurse that can be present five days a week, for a minimum of four hours per day.
 

 

For 160 school days, school nursing services would cost $25,600, or $160 per day.