Para on the bus?

amyk · #1 10-11-2010, 09:20 PM

For those of you with children in school, do you have a para (aide) on the bus as well as a nurse? Our son, Jonathan, has always had a para on his bus for school (because he doesn't communicate effectively and because he has had a couple of episodes where he passed out unexpectedly) and now that he got his trach last year and a nurse goes with him to school the district is saying that the nurse is used in place of the para. Is that ok? The para helps with securing Jonathan's wheelchair in the bus and I am not sure if that is something that our home care nurses should be doing. We have an IEP meeting next week and I want to go in there prepared to ask for what I think Jonathan needs and I am not sure about this one. I know the district does not want to pay for both a nurse and a para -- I understand that. But on Jonathan's ride in the morning he does have a para already in place and the afternoon ride is the one that they are saying he doesn't need one for. I think I DO want to continue to have a para on the bus (it's always good to have an extra set of hands), I'm just not exactly sure that I can justify it. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

drct1245 · #2 10-11-2010, 10:10 PM

Is the para just for Jonathan? Usually it's a para for the entire bus, which if that's the case, then the nurse is only there for your son and if something should go awry for another child, your nurse cannot help. That is what I would be concerned with and maybe that approach may help....??

good luck...

Ainsley's Mom · #3 10-11-2010, 10:52 PM

We have a school appointed nurse go with Ainsley two days a week and her private duty nurse goes with her 2 days a week. She does not have an additional aide. In our case the bus driver helps secure the seat or chair. The nurse may assist but it seems to be the driver's ultimate responsibility.

WeAdoptKids · #4 10-11-2010, 11:55 PM

Nurse only for Joseph. Works out fine.

Jacob's Mom · #5 10-12-2010, 04:47 AM

Jacob just has a nurse, but if they are providing a one-on-one para for the morning ride, they can't just pull him/her off for the afternoon. Jacob's nurse helps with securing his chair, but it is the driver's responsibility. There is also an aide on the bus, but he is for all the children.

Big Al · #6 10-12-2010, 05:50 AM

Just me and the bus driver when I take T to school. His Para is in the class waiting for us in the morning and walks us to the door in the afternoon. I assist the bus driver in hooking the wheelchair in.

kadiera · #7 10-12-2010, 07:09 AM

Alexander had his nurse this summer; the little girl who rode the bus with him was in a wheel chair and had an aide of some sort (nurse? para? pca?) who was at her house when the bus arrived. The driver explained to us on the first day that it was her job to make sure everyone was buckled in safely - be it a child or adult, wheel chair, special seating, or just the bus seat.

I think it'd be hard to justify 2 people on the bus for one child; I think if the para is for the whole bus, it'd be easier to justify a nurse just for your child.