Back to School with HoG

Horizons in Hemophilia, September 2013

By Rueleen Kapsch, RN, Quality Assurance Nurse

It is back to school time for students in Georgia. Hemophilia of Georgia Outreach Nurses visit schools and day care centers to educate teachers, school nurses and staff about hemophilia, von Willebrand Disease and other bleeding disorders.

Clients can call their HoG Outreach Nurse at the office or on the nurse’s cell phone. If you don’t know the nurse assigned to you, please call HoG and tell the receptionist which county you live in to learn who your Outreach Nurse is and how to get in touch with him or her.

It is helpful for parents to provide the contact information for school personnel to schedule a school or medical in-service about bleeding disorders. We hope to alleviate fears that someone may bleed to death from minor bruises and scrapes. Teachers and school staff know how to respond quickly in the event of serious injuries and when to call a parent or emergency responders. Minor injuries may only require an ice bag, especially for milder bleeding disorders. For severe hemophilia, a factor infusion may be necessary within an hour or two of an injury, so each child will need a treatment plan that is based on his or her individual needs.

If college students attend a school in Georgia, HoG Outreach Nurses can offer to educate the college health nurse or can help college students do their own education.