Welcome to the Nursing Office of Nobel Algarve British International School.

Filipa Magalhães is a full-time, nationally certified nurse (No. OE 80867) at Nobel Algarve, Lagoa Campus. She tends to all student needs, from Pre-School up to Years 12 and 13.

Ms. Magalhães graduated with a degree in nursing from the Catholic University of her native town, Porto, in 2013. With a respected academic background and a passion for working with both students and the wider school community, Ms. Magalhães has been enriching the health, education and safety of Nobel Algarve since 2014.

´Nurse Filipa´ is usually present at school trips and sports tournaments, ski trips etc. and she is also known throughout the school community for her extracurricular contributions. She is frequently involved in supporting school sporting events, as well as in the coordination of enriching school activities. In addition, the Nursing Office is always open to support its pupils, both on campus and further afield. It serves as a safe and caring environment for the entire student base. On the occasion that the Nursing Office is closed, children can report to the main Reception and Nurse Filipa will be called on her direct Nursing Office mobile phone. She is never far away!

Services

During the school year, the Nobel Algarve School Nursing Office organises frequent lectures and education regarding school health as well as free screenings for students and the school community:

• Orthodontic Screening/Oral Hygiene
• Visual Screening
• Nutritional Screening
• Skin Screening
• Auditory Screening
• Lectures/training about addictive behaviours
• Lectures/training about sign language
• Lectures/training about voice care
• Lectures/training about sun exposure
• Blood Donations
• Certified Basic Life Support Training, 12th Grade students
• Collection of expired medication
• Collection of X-Rays older than 5 years (every 10kg of silver helps AMI)
• HIV/AIDS issues

 

Care provided by the Nursing Office

• First-aid – at the school grounds and off-site (if applicable)
• Medication administration directed by parents/guardians
• Diagnosis and treatment of minor issues; parental/guardian first contact
• Hospital referral/emergency services call
• Admission of students into the Nursing Office for recovery, awaiting parents/guardians

Sexual health

The Nursing Office is available to carry out relevant education in the field of sexual awareness such as: body self-confidence; sexual identity and gender role; sexual and reproductive health; expressions of sexuality and diversity; interpersonal relationships (depending on needs of each student/class). This may be organised by a class teacher or could be advising a student who comes for help. The Nursing Office does not give specific advice on contraception and cannot distribute condoms.

Infirmary equipment and supplies

The Nursing Office is equipped with a treatment room and an adapted bathroom. It has two beds, a stretcher, a television with dvd player and is stocked the following medication that can be administered by the school nurse:

• Aero-OM
• Brufen
• Griponal
• Motilium
• Aerius
• Buscopan
• Imodium
• Rennie
• Ben-u-Ron
• Fenistil
• Strepfen
• Voltaren

Note: Medications are only administered according to the written consent of  parents or guardians.

In addition to medication, the Nursing Office is equipped with a first-aid kit, including: adhesive, betadine, cotton, gauze balls, compresses, forceps, bandages, tape, ice-spray, instant hot/cold bags, bepanthene, biafine, fenistil, voltaren gel, systral, arnica (green plastic tweezers), tubular mesh, post-operative patch (REF: 183-022), blue fast dressings, tampons, pads, saline, steri-strips, thermometer, blood glucose meter, portable finger oximeter, wheelchair and crutches.

Follow-up procedures

1 Student arrives in the care of Nursing Office via staff/other student/self.

2 Nurse gives diagnosis, records name and recommended treatment.

3 Nurse makes appropriate treatment and, when appropriate, student returns to classroom. Minor incidents will not be reported to parents. Each student is given a slip of paper to inform parents of the visit.

4 In the following cases, Nurse informs parents of the incident/medical issue and may advise them to report to hospital:

• Fainting
• Abdominal pain
• Headache
• Sprain
• Fever
• Fracture
• Hematoma in head/upper/lower arms
• Low blood pressure
• Vomiting

5 If diagnosis requires urgent hospital treatment, parent/guardian will be requested to collect student. If not available, an ambulance will be called and student will
be accompanied by a staff member who will remain with student until parent/guardian arrives.

6 If a student is taken to hospital it is mandatory for a parent/guardian to attend. Key decision making may be necessary.