The School Based Youth Health Nurse (Paula) works with a preventative focus including early identification, brief intervention and harm minimisation activities. The nurse is often the first point of contact for young people, their families and school community members seeking information, advice and support for health matters. For issues requiring treatment or intensive counselling, they play an important role in providing referral for clients to the relevant agencies. School Based Youth Health Nurses do not provide or teach first aid, care for wounds or administer medications in their role.
Within their allocated schools the School Based Youth Health Nurse provides support and assistance to address the health needs of young people, their families and school community members in consideration with local needs.
The nurse provides one-on-one confidential consultations for individuals which might include topics such as the following:
- Health and Wellbeing Concerns
- Relationships – Family, Peer and Boy/Girl or other
- Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs
- Sexual Health
- Stress and or unhappiness
- Puberty
- Healthy eating, exercise, weight and eating concerns
- Linkages and referrals to other services
The nurse provides support for school community and staff by offering the following:- Health Promotion Activities
- Provision of Health Related Resources
- Work with staff to assist with some health related/promotion activities within the classroom/school environment
- Linking school community with relevant community and other services
Make an appointment
Paula is our current School Based Youth Health Nurse and works on Mondays at VPSHS and is located at the Student Services Hub.
To
make a private and confidential appointment with the School Based Youth Health
Nurse please visit the Student Hub. You can also email our School Based Health Nurse as an alternative contact for making appointments or make a booking by completing the referral form for the SBYHN (PDF, 1MB).
Paula is happy to receive emails from parents if they have any concerns and can accept referrals from parents, on the condition that the student has consented and is happy to see the School Based Youth Nurse.