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Farmington nurses tell board school nurses are frontline for students' physical and mental health
Summary
Two school nurses told the board that nurses play a vital role in student health, mental‑health screening and crisis response and urged the district to maintain nurse staffing levels.
Two Farmington school nurses used the public comment period to describe the breadth of school‑nurse responsibilities and the role nurses play in identifying and responding to students’ mental‑health needs.
Mikayla Janssen, a building nurse at Farmington High School, described the nurses’ duties beyond injuries and medication administration: managing immunization records, hearing and vision screenings, supporting health plans, and helping staff identify and respond to students in crisis. Janssen cited Minnesota Department of Health survey data from 2022 showing that 29 percent of students reported long‑term mental‑health problems and that 28 percent of 11th‑graders had seriously considered suicide; she used those figures to stress that school nurses are often the first staff to notice mental‑health symptoms and to connect students with resources.
Nikki Cornier, a second nurse at Farmington High School who frequently subs in other buildings, described a multi‑week case in which a student experienced escalating symptoms, multiple suicide attempts and an eventual inpatient placement that Cornier said contributed to the student’s recovery and graduation. Cornier recounted making an ambulance call and arranging a 48‑hour psychiatric hold when the student reported suicide attempts, then coordinating information for inpatient admission and supporting the student in the health office while waiting for placement. She said having two nurses at the high school—and available coverage to allow nurses time to coordinate care—was crucial to keep students safe and to provide continuity of care across buildings.
Both nurses asked the board to recognize the broad scope of nursing work, to consider nurse staffing levels when making budget decisions and to engage with nursing staff when considering any reductions.
The board did not take immediate action on nursing staffing during the open meeting; nurses’ remarks were entered during public comment for board consideration.
