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School nursing supervisor says clinic staffing shortfalls are risking student care, urges pay changes
Summary
At the Feb. 13 Isle of Wight County School Board meeting, nursing supervisor Tara Abbey told the board that chronic vacancies and low pay have left clinics understaffed and asked the board to reconsider a budget request to add stipends and raise pay to retain nurses.
Tara Abbey, Isle of Wight County Schools nursing supervisor, told the school board on Feb. 13 that clinics across the division are operating with chronic staffing gaps and that current pay levels make recruitment impossible.
“My priority is keeping the students and the staff in our division's building safe,” Abbey said during public comment at the Westside Elementary meeting. She described covering clinics for “300 hours” this school year — roughly seven and a half weeks — because of vacancies and absences.
Abbey said six staff were out recently and the division has two registered nurse vacancies. “Eight of our nine clinics…
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