GDOE hopes to hire more nurses, 4 currently on staff for summer school

The Guam Department of Education hopes to hire more nurses for it's summer school program, after it came to light that four nurses are attending to some 5,000 students at 40 schools.

There isn't a nursing shortage for the Guam Department of Education's summer school program, according to GDOE Public Information Officer Michelle Franquez. "Like our teachers, our school health counselors for GDOE are actually nine-month contract employees," she clarified, "and so just as teachers when its time for summer break they can too take off for summer break."

There are four nurses including the head nurse in charge attending to about 5,000 public school students for summer classes at 40 school campuses. Despite the number of students outweigh school health officials, Franquez told KUAM News that they're holding the fort down.

"We do have a system in play, our amazing head-nurse Mrs. Julietta Quinene, she is amazing, she goes from school-to-school to make sure that if students need medication administered, or a student is in need of medical support, she's actually on the go and she visits our schools for students who may be in need or the admin that may need guidance to support a student who may be filling under the weather," Franquez said.

"Although our nurses are on summer vacation, we do have our head nurse Julietta Quinene as well as three LPNs, who are our twelve-month employees that do help and give guidance to our school teams."

Franquez explained that there is pending approval for more nurses to be brought on board, saying, "Currently though, we are still waiting approval from the Federal Program Office to hire more nurses for summer school."

COVID-19 safety protocols remain the same and are in full force. GDOE is in constant communications with parents, according to Franquez.