Student Health Unit (SHU)


Several students sitting on a bench in a nurses office, as a nurse give instruction.

Hours of operation

Sunday night 3:00 pm until 3:00 pm on Friday.

There is a Registered Nurse on duty at all times.

What is the role of the Student Health Unit (SHU)?

The SHU serves students from both California School for the Deaf and California School for the Blind. SHU's emphasis is on first aid and short term care. Our goal is to return students to the class room or cottage/dorm as quickly as possible. The SHU staff function as a clinic that maintains health screenings and school medical records. The staff also monitor:

  • medical conditions
  • dispense medications
  • treat minor medical problems/injuries
  • temporarily care for ill students until parents arrive

Residential students are provided extended services after school hours when needed.

SHU has a school physician that provides medical coverage and standing orders to the nursing staff. Emergency care is arranged at a local hospital when needed. Students may be sent home if deemed necessary by the nurse. It is the responsibility of the student's family to pick up their sick child and take them home.

Sick Days

Students suspected or diagnosed with having an infectious or communicable disease may be excluded from school until treated; a doctor's note may be required to return to school. If a student has a fever, they should not return to school until it is normal for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. While SHU nurses may initially care for student's illnesses and/or injuries at school, the final health care responsibility remains with the family and their doctor. After hospital/ doctor/clinic visit, students must come to SHU FIRST to be cleared to return to school.

Health Insurance

The Authorization for Medical Treatment form must be filled out and submitted at the beginning of each school year. On that form please provide Current medical insurance information. Parents are responsible for all students' medical bills.

Medication

Registered Nurses at SHU and Designated School Personnel administer medications to the students as ordered by their doctor.

  • A physicians order is required for all medications, including over-the-counter medications, creams, eye drops, etc.
  • Medications must be brought to SHU in the original prescription bottle with an English label that has correct name, dosage and instructions.
  • Students are NOT allowed to keep medications, prescribed or over the counter, in their rooms or on their person.
  • Inhalers and epi-pens may be kept in the student's possession only after they have been authorized to self-administer by their physician and parents and proper documentation is signed.
  • It is the parent's responsibility to monitor their student's medications for refills.

Contact Information

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding the Student Health Services department at:

Maureen Buggy
Supervisor

CSDFHealthServices@csdf-cde.ca.gov

Phone 510-794-3748
VP 510-344-6111
Text 510-673-0462