Hi Everyone,
I can't believe it's been over nine months since I last posted! Where has 2023 gone? I hope you were able to enjoy what little summer we had and that the new school year has gotten off to a good start.
This year has brought some changes for me - I left the University of New England at the end of May to return to my roots at Maine Medical Center as Director of Nursing Education and Professional Development. This has been an exciting opportunity for me to combine my love of education and working with nurses who are practicing at the bedside. Due to this change in my work schedule, I no longer have the flexibility to provide CPR/AED/First Aid classes. I realize this may be an inconvenience to those of you for whom I have provided these classes in the past. I can help with finding new resources for you.
With the return to school comes increases in exposures to communicable illnesses. We are starting to see an uptick in COVID-19 cases, not surprisingly. We are also just starting to see cases of influenza and RSV. Symptoms of these respiratory illnesses are similar, so it is important to follow CDC guidelines. The latest COVID-19 guidance can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-childcare-guidance.html. The Maine Department of Education recently posted this Communicable Diseases Quick Guide for Schools and Child-Care Centers in Maine: https://www.maine.gov/doe/sites/maine.gov.doe/files/inline-files/Communicable%20Diseases%20Quick%20Guide%2011x17%20V1_0.pdf. This is a handy guide to help you with decision-making around inclusion/exclusion criteria. If you have not yet received your copy of the "purple book" Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools, please check with your licensing specialist, as copies were purchased for every licensed child care provider in Maine.
Please reach out to me with any questions and concerns you have to help keep your children, families, and staff safe.
Be well!
Deb
