School Nurse Shortage Hampers Swine-Flu Response

San Francisco

As schools grapple with a resurgence of swine flu, many districts have few or no nurses to prevent or respond to outbreaks, leaving students more vulnerable to a virus that spreads easily in classrooms and takes a heavier toll on children and young adults.

The shortage of school nurses could lead to more students falling ill from the H1N1 virus, which can be particularly dangerous for children with weakened immune systems or respiratory conditions such as asthma, experts say

"It's really irresponsible of the school district to not really provide medical oversight while kids are in school," said Jamie Hintzke, who has two kids in Northern California's Pleasanton Unified School District, including a son with severe food allergies. The district has one nurse for 15 schools and almost 15,000 students. "I'm playing Russian roulette every single day...