Nurse: Ms. Kristen Mikkelsen [Email Ms. Mikkelsen]
Hello! My name is Kristen Mikkelsen, RN, BSN and I am the nurse at Potomac Shores. I graduated from the University of Texas-Health Science Center in San Antonio in 1996. I have 25+ years of experience in various specialties including hospital adult ICU’s, maternal/child care and case management before becoming a PWC school nurse in 2006.
I look forward to working with your student to ensure they have the healthiest school year possible. Please help me by filling out a health treatment plan if your child has a chronic illness or requires special medical treatments.
Important Health Information and Forms:
As we are entering the cold and flu season, this is a reminder of the best health practices to decrease the spread and transmission of viruses in PWCS schools.
Please remember to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw used tissues in the trash. If you don't have a tissue, cough, or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands. Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, dry hands with a paper towel, and use the paper towel to turn off the faucet. If soap and water are not available, hand sanitizers may also be used to perform hand hygiene. Remember to stay home when you’re sick until at least 24 hours without a fever or the use of fever reducing medicine. Together we can help stop the spread of germs that may make you and others ill.
PWCS Student Health Services Main Page
PWCS Vaccine Requirements
Medication Administration in School - Policy
Reasons Your Child Should Stay Home From School Or May Be Sent Home By The Nurse During The School Day:
- Fever of 100.4º F and over - exclude until student has been fever-free without the use of fever reducing medications (like Tylenol or Motrin) for at least 24 hours.
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye), strep infections, ringworm, and impetigo are all infections and must be treated with medication for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school. Please do not allow affected students back before this time so that other students are not infected unnecessarily.
- Rash of unknown origin with fever and/or behavioral changes, until a primary care provider has determined that the illness is not a communicable disease.
- Head injury.
- Severe coughing or difficulty breathing.
- Colds - a child with thick or constant nasal discharge should remain home.
- Diarrhea - sudden increase in frequency to more than three loose/watery stools per day. Exclude until student has been symptom free for at least 24 hours.
- Vomiting - unless the vomiting is determined to be caused by a diagnosed non-communicable/non-infectious condition (such as dysmenorrhea, dysphagia, etc.).
- Abdominal pain that continues for more that two hours or intermittent abdominal pain associated with fever or other signs or symptoms.
- Stiff neck associated with fever and/or a recent injury.
- Inadequate immunizations with known disease outbreak in school.
- Refer to the Virginia Department of Health's "Communicable Disease Reference Chart for School Personnel" for other exclusions/information.
- Refer to PWCS Regulation 757-1