High school nurse is first link in Swine Flu discovery

Today the New York Times reports the instrumental role that New York City nurses have played in the detection of the swine flu epidemic:

The detective story involving St. Francis began with a school nurse, who called the city’s school health nurse on Thursday to report about 75 students with symptoms including upset stomach, nausea and fever. The city nurse was struck by the number of cases and consulted her medical director, who told her to alert the nurse at the Bureau of Communicable Disease, officials said.

You can read our tips for talking to patients about swine flu, plus print out a quick “are you prepared” checklist, at Scrubs Magazine. More information for health professionals, communities and families on swine flu preparedness is available at the American Public Health Assn’s website.