Cincinnati Enquirer / October 12, 2011 Nurse practitioner Dilruba Rahman sees about 20 kids on a busy day in the Oyler School-Based Health Center.
Among her tasks: she gives immunizations, treats colds and coughs, and manages care for students with asthma.
While it’s just routine care, the impact on these students is huge.
The addition of a School-Based Health Center at this high-poverty school five years ago has been the biggest contributing factor to the school’s academic turnaround, said Principal Craig Hockenberry. It’s often the only access to health care these students have. Having a clinic physically located in their school keeps them healthy, focused and in school.
“Health and wellness have a direct impact on how kids do academically,” he said. “If we don’t address those issues, we’ll continue to have problems in our city’s core.”