October 25, 2007
Report: 'Clear judgment' used by nurse on Bridgewater field trip (By Theresa Knapp Enos, Enterprise correspondent)
RAYNHAM— The Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School superintendent's report on a recent field trip, during which a seventh-grader was injured, said the district's physician found the on-site nurse showed clear judgment and complied with common standards of care.
The School Committee would not answer questions from the 40-plus parents who gathered Wednesday for the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School Committee meeting at the Raynham Middle School to hear the much-awaited report on an Oct. 2 incident in which Alison Peart was injured on a field trip to Purgatory Chasm in Sutton.
Peart, 12, a seventh-grader at Williams Middle School, tripped while traversing rocks in the chasm and fell, striking her head.
“On the advice of our School Committee counsel, because there continues to be conversations regarding this matter, we will not be allowed to take questions or comments on this matter,” said Chairman Gordon Luciano.
Luciano said there may be disciplinary action forthcoming and, according to state law, personnel matters are confidential and handled in executive session.
Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District Superintendent George Guasconi's report on the Oct. 2 incident says the student did not fall off the chasm cliff as was reported in the media, but she did suffer a laceration on her chin and received 17 stitches to prevent scarring. She also suffered fractures of her jaw and right wrist.
Guasconi based his report on interviews with 24 people, including students, staff, chaperones, the nurse at the scene, the nurse supervisor back in Bridgewater, the building principal, the school district's physician and conversations with a parent of the injured student.
The report also found:
*The student did not suffer a concussion. The information of shock was inconclusive. Based on the opinion of the nurse and the district's physician, the student did not go into shock. However, a hospital employee told the parents the student could have been in shock.
*Based on the reports and statements recorded in the interviews, the opinion of the district's physician is that the on-site nurse showed clear judgment and complied with common standards of care for assessing neurological functions and complied with general standard procedures.
*While the district's physician stated after reading the reports that the student was not placed at risk of further injury or harm by being transported by bus and then car, the parents reported that the hospital personnel had told them the student should have been transported by ambulance.
*The on-site nurse followed the existing district protocol, and called her supervisor. The supervising nurse from the school was in contact with the parent (father) and informed him of the situation. While the actual sequence of calls was inconclusive, there was ongoing communication between the school and the parents. There was some confusion in the communications.
*While some use of cell phones reportedly contributed to misinformation being distributed, no students were disciplined for the use of cell phones. The assistant principal met with students and explained the importance of cell phone protocol and the importance of translating factual information.
Some information relayed back to Bridgewater was “greatly exaggerated,” says Guasconi.
According to the report, the field trip nurse made her decision to take the girl back to Bridgewater and not to a hospital because of the emotional stability of the frightened student; it was a non-threatening situation; the 45-60 minute bus ride home would not change the outcome or bring additional harm to the student; and the nurse understood from the school secretary that the father said to place his daughter on the bus.
In addition, the nurse and a staff member reported that they had been told in the past by a police officer who had responded to a false 911 call at the park that “it's always a Med-flight.” The nurse felt this could cause possible emotional trauma to the student.
The report says Peart was talkative on the ride back to Bridgewater.
Guasconi reported the district's physician said there was no further risk of injury by riding the bus and that the nurse did nothing wrong and made the right decision.
Committee member Fred Kerns, himself a physician in private practice, sent a message to Peart saying, “We all have a spirit of remorse on the incident that occurred at Purgatory Chasm and we wish you well.”
Also Wednesday, the committee updated a field trip policy that has not been reviewed in eight years and placed an unofficial hold on approval of most field trip requests as the committee awaits a report from its Field Trip Subcommittee.
The Field Trip Subcommittee was formed in September after questions were raised about the educational value and relevance of some proposed field trips.
That subcommittee has just begun to review the district's policy on field trips, the chaperoning policy and procedures related to emergency medical assistance.
An hourlong discussion was held on the submittal by B-R teachers Danielle Oliari and Michael Hayhurst for permission to take B-R students to Italy in April.
Ultimately, the request was approved 6-2 with Dr. Ronald Pacy and Joseph Gillis Jr. both opposed.
“Unfortunately, timing is everything,” said Gillis referring to the board's strong focus and detailed review of the district's field trip policy, noting the district will be weighing the educational reward of each trip against the district's inherent liability.
That review is ongoing.
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