Schools, Special Education, Media Releases

The NSW Teachers Federation demands the retention of a Registered Nurse (RN) position at Sir Eric Woodward School for Special Purposes at St Ives.

NSW Teachers Federation President Angelo Gavrielatos said the school community backs the need for maintaining an RN at the school because of the high clinical and health needs of students.

“Teachers at the Sir Eric Woodward SSP provide amazing care and tuition for some of our most vulnerable students and are concerned the Education Department is seeking to save money by abolishing the RN position,” Mr Gavrielatos said.

He said the protest follows Sir Edward Woodward SSP teachers walking off the job earlier this week fighting the latest attempt to remove the RN position from their school.

“These students have high level health needs which include invasive medical procedures including catheterisation, suction tubes and feeding tubes and having an RN on site is the most appropriate way of managing them.”

“We wouldn’t accept the administration of such procedures for adults by anyone other than a registered nurse.”

Mr Gavrielatos said it was inappropriate to expect Student Learning and Support Officers (SLSOs) to step in and perform a job done by an RN for the past 20 years.

“The Department of Education’s own 2017 review of the RN position found there was a need for high level medical care at the school.”

“Nothing has changed since that review, but the Department continues to push to downgrade the medical care the school offers, in the face of opposition from parents, teachers, students’ doctors and SLSOs.”

“Students with special needs have a right to an education in the public school system and having a trained RN on site has proven over many years to be the best way to manage their health needs.”