By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Chilton County Schools lead nurse Chrysta Russell was a featured speaker at this year’s Mega Conference, organized by the Alabama State Department of Education.

Russell’s presented on the basics of the InformationNow Health software used by school nurses.

“It was very exciting for me,” Russell said.

She said it was good to be able to represent the dedicated nurses of Chilton County.

Russell focused on showing nurses how to use the software for daily records and how to keep a child’s file up-to-date for the year.

Many Chilton County Schools nurses attended the advanced class offered on INow Health. Nine CCS nurses were able to attend the conference.

“It is really the only place each year we can get all of our updates on laws affecting school nurses and school health,” Chilton County High school nurse Roslyn Driver said.

Russell said the conference is one the nurses try to attend every year.

“It incorporates all aspects of education and there is a health service division that provides three days just for nurses,” Russell said.

A highlight of the conference for Driver was a talk given by a graduate with a chronic illness.

“She talked about how school nursing impacted her, and that was really touching to hear,” Driver said.

She said she found the presentations by the state boards of health and education to be the most helpful.

While there were not any major changes to laws regarding school nurses, there are some added procedures for the 2017-2018 school year.

“One of the things we have to do now is provide information about the use of heavy backpacks,” Russell said.

Other new laws in the state allow students to carry FDA approved sunblock with them at school, forbids medical marijuana on school campuses and requires school nurses to provide information about influenza.

“I want to thank our Board of Education for allowing us to go to this very important conference. It allows us to give the best care at the highest level,” Russell said.

She said another benefit of the conference is all of the nurses receive the same information at the same time.

Driver said the conference is one of only two occasions a year where all of the school nurses are together.