Paramedic instead of nurse at school. Ministry of Health is preparing changes

There is a shortage of nurses in Polish schools. MP Ewa Malik pointed out that a large proportion of nurses are of retirement age, and "the current state of affairs causes problems and the inability of medical entities to provide educational institutions with care within the framework of school hygiene."

Furthermore, Primary Health Care nurses are not permitted to work in a school unless they have pedagogical training or specialisation in paediatrics.

However, many years of practice show that people graduating from nursing studies most often take up employment in inpatient healthcare facilities and gain professional experience there, which in consequence results in a complete lack of people willing to work in school clinics.

- points out Malik.

In order to increase the number of persons authorized to provide health care for students , the Ministry of Health has prepared a draft act amending the Act on Health Care for Students.

As Jerzy Szafranowicz from the Ministry of Health explains, the project expands the definition of a school nurse to include, among others, a nurse with a professional bachelor's degree in nursing and at least one year of experience in the profession or a nurse who has completed a qualifying course in the field of family nursing or pediatric nursing, or is in the process of completing such a course.

It is also permissible for preventive health care for students to be provided by a midwife who has completed a qualifying course in the field of teaching and upbringing environment.

- he pointed.

The Ministry also explains that it is considering allowing other medical professions to work in schools - e.g. paramedics after completing an appropriate qualification course.

The draft bill is in the final stage of work at the Ministry of Health and will soon be submitted for arrangements, opinions and public consultations.