Nurses warn one‑FTE reduction would increase medical risk and liability, administration says savings include benefits
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Summary
School nurses told the board that eliminating one full‑time nursing position (estimated district savings approximately $85,000 including benefits) would raise risk to students with chronic medical needs and increase workload on remaining staff; administrators said staffing ratios are determined by building needs and some tasks can be delegated to unlicensed assistants but many medical responsibilities cannot.
School nurses told the Grand Forks School Board on Jan. 12 that removing one full‑time nursing position would impair student care, increase liability and reduce early identification of health and mental‑health needs.
Carly Hoffman, a district nurse, said nurses are core to school‑based mental‑health teams, manage complex medical cares such as insulin administration and tube feedings, and free principals and teachers from time spent handling health issues. She questioned whether the stated savings reflect actual salary and benefit costs and said eliminating a position would spread critical duties more thinly and could increase the risk of medical errors.
Administrators confirmed the district estimated savings of roughly $85,000–$85,650 for eliminating a full FTE when benefits are included and noted the actual salary component is lower. They also said staffing ratios are responsive to building medical needs and that district has used unlicensed assistive personnel for some duties while a licensed nurse supervises tasks that UAPs cannot legally perform.
Board members asked whether the reduction would still allow the district to meet required supports for students with 504 plans and IEPs. Administrators said ratios are variable and depend on the medical care needs present in buildings; they urged careful analysis before final decisions. No action was taken.
