Beyond band-aids: Coordinating consistent care with August Schools
Meet Holly and Jenna, school nurses at Howe ISD, dedicated to improving student health and well- being every single day. Before joining the Howe ISD nursing team, Holly worked in pediatrics, while Jenna worked in an ICU and in in-patient dialysis. They both made the switch to school nursing for the family-friendly schedule, allowing them to spend more quality time with their loved ones.
Holly said,
“When I tell people I’m a school nurse they say, 'oh you hand out ice packs and band aids all day,' but there’s so much more to it than band aids and ice packs.”
School nurses are frontline caregivers during the school day, supporting students with anything from an anxiety-induced stomach ache to a debilitating blood sugar spike. August is designed to empower school nurses with the tools they deserve, allowing them to minimize time spent on administrative tasks and maximize time spent with students.
Holly started exploring EHRs when she realized that the security features of her current EHR weren’t cutting it.
“In our previous system, there was no way to lock encounters…from a nursing perspective, my license was on the line and I didn’t want any of the other nurses to have to worry about that either.”
That’s when she found August Schools.
Holly was most excited about the improved charting and immunization tracking capabilities. She was impressed by how August could scan paper immunization forms and automatically translate the information into individual immunization records on the student’s digital file.
“We used to spend a lot of time typing in records. Scanning them in rather than typing every date is huge.”
Holly and Jenna have also seen a big improvement in parent communication since switching to August.
“Being able to text parents is one of my favorite things,” said Holly.
At Howe ISD, teachers who struggle to reach parents often turn to the nursing team, asking to use August's texting feature because they know they’ll get a quick response from parents.
Charting is also a favorite feature among the nursing team.
“August is so much easier. I can chart a kid in 30 seconds and I’m done.”
Less time spent on administrative tasks means more time the nursing team can spend with students.
The digitalrecords in August Schools have greatly simplified communication and care coordination among the nursing team.
Holly explained,
“I started scanning in the paper logs I’ve been using so they’re on the student file. So when [the students] move up to another campus then the nursing team can see the care plans I’ve used…If they need to look at it, they can click on that child’s card and see that there’s a care plan.”
Digital records and student-centered charting allow the team to communicate even when their busy days prevent them from sharing every detail in person.
August’s ease of use was a big advantage for the Howe ISD nursing team.
Holly mentioned that
“Nurses on the team came from using EMRs in hospitals and said, 'woah this is great.'”
August was not just user-friendly but also easy to pick up. The platform’s intuitive design helped new nurses integrate quickly.
Holly said,
“I’ve hired two full-time nurses and they’ve had to have very little training from me, they just seem to flow right into it.”
Whenever there’s a question or if the team needs support, the August customer success team has been incredibly helpful in answering questions and figuring out a solution.
“Once I got in touch with Jake and Laura, it was a whole new world. They understood my frustrations and my needs and my wants.”
August Schools has streamlined several processes for the nursing team, especially immunizations.
Holly mentioned that
“August caught several kids who our previous EHR said were compliant but they weren’t. I had one kid who was missing three or four vaccinations and our previous EHR said they were compliant.”
August’s Robonurse automatically scans records to identify which students are non-compliant based on state regulations. School nurses have enough on their plate without combing through hundreds of charts, so having a reliable system was a big reliefforthe nursing team at Howe ISD.
Holly emphasized how August helps the nursing team stay coordinated.
“I’m Pre-k through 2nd and Whitney is 3rd - 5th. She can see ‘oh yeah this kid comes in 3 times every day’ so she knows who the frequent fliers are going to be, who has a significant issue that needs attention, who has diabetes, who needs a g button flush. If she has questions, she can go back and read how I handled it.”
Having an easy way to see exactly what a child needs and how they’ve been supported in the past has been a game-changer forthe team.
Holly said,
“I’ve gone back and looked at [Whitney’s] charts when I’ve covered her campus and Jenna’s done the same. August helps us help each other.”
The level of collaboration that August facilitates ensures that every student receives consistent care, from Kindergarten all the way through graduation.
August Schools has simplified the way school nurses like Holly and Jenna operate, improving their workflow and freeing up valuable time in their busy schedules. With features that streamline administrative tasks, enhance communication, and ensure the security of student data, August allows nurses to be able to focus on what truly matters: the health and well-being oftheir students.