Although it's not a hospital or a doctor’s office, it looks like one. It’s the school nurses office at Washington Elementary School in Lorain now have exam rooms, staffed with nurses and a nurse practitioner. The clinic is one of the new clinics in three Lorain Schools.
When parents were surveyed, health care was their biggest concern, so Lorain Schools partnered with Mercy Health Physicians Network.
The clinics look like a doctor’s office. Nurses can give students physicals, vaccinations, treat diabetes, asthma and more.
90% of Lorain students live at or below the poverty level, Mercy Health Physicians said if a family doesn’t have health insurance, no student will be turned away. The nurses can also call in prescriptions and vision and dental health is also offered.
“Any services you would receive from your primary care physicians, or provider are right here in the schools. We take care of the staff and the children,” said Nurse Practitioner Katie Malear.
Lorain school leaders hope to open the clinics in seven other Lorain Elementary Schools.
