Substitute nurse staffing partnership keeps Alabama school district healthy.

Enterprise City Schools (ECS), located in southern Alabama, educates 6,500 students in ten schools and employs a dedicated team of 850 faculty and staff, including 12 full-time school nurses.  

Just as the pandemic took a toll on educators, it also severely impacted the nursing workforce across the nation. As a result of the shortage, when school nurses need time off, finding replacements has become even more difficult. To that end, ECS relies on its substitute staffing partner, Kelly® Education, to recruit, vet, hire, and schedule the district’s short- and long-term substitute school nurses. 

Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Patrick Cain, is impressed by Kelly Education’s commitment to maintaining the district's high standards while ensuring a seamless transition of certified nurses to various openings across the district.  

Nursing responsibilities don’t take a day off. 

Substitute school nurses in Enterprise are more than just stand-ins; as licensed medical professionals they provide crucial medical care to students. Their responsibilities extend beyond simply taking temperatures and administering medicine. They also support students during emergencies and help them manage chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and allergies. 

"Substitute nurses are crucial to our day-to-day operations," says Sheree Hardrick, the Federal Programs Director for ECS. She says the eight substitute nurses from Kelly Education fit in with the culture of the district. They have become familiar faces supporting students at athletic practices and games, band camps, and field trips that require student medical needs. She says they have been an extra set of hands during eye exams and scoliosis screenings.  

Licensing and certification means quality. 

“When our full-time nurses can’t be here, we count on Kelly Education to provide us with nurses who have the expertise needed in our schools to support the health and well-being of our students,” says Cain.  

Cain says the rigorous certification process for school substitute nurses takes significant resources and Kelly Education is top-notch when it comes to compliance. The company completes a comprehensive 22-page document that verifies the nurse's registered LPN or RN license, proper vaccinations, CPR certification, background checks, and fingerprinting. The substitute nurses complete OSHA and HIPAA training. Finally, Kelly Education requires that nurses pass the company’s own proprietary training during the onboarding process that focuses on competencies for modern school educators. 

Kelly Education has successfully managed the district’s substitute workforce — including teachers, paraeducators, nurses, office workers, and custodians — for the past five years. ECS returned to Kelly Education in 2019 after competitors did not match up to the  commitment to quality in school substitute staffing services.  

Superintendent Dr. Zel Thomas praised the partnership, stating, "Kelly Education is responsive and provides top-quality talent." He said the partnership exemplifies the possibilities of combining quality healthcare and education, ensuring students' well-being in a supportive, nurturing environment.