With real-time monitoring, school nurses can now track a student’s blood sugar levels throughout the day without waiting for alarms to sound.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A new program in Chesapeake is changing how students with diabetes are cared for during the school day, giving parents peace of mind and helping students spend more time learning in the classroom.
For Susie Steffes, dropping her son off at Cedar Road Elementary used to come with constant worry. Her son, Luke, has type 1 diabetes, which means his body does not produce insulin as it should.
“It was nerve-wracking. I stayed glued to my phone all day, looking at his numbers, making sure that he wasn’t too high,” Steffes said.
Monitoring Luke’s blood sugar is a daily responsibility Steffes has always managed closely. Before the new diabetes monitoring program, that same task could be difficult for school administrators, especially when his blood sugar levels dropped unexpectedly.
“My son, Luke, when he goes low, he goes low quickly, and low blood sugar can mean death,” Steffes said.
That concern led Steffes to push for change, and it sparked the launch of a remote diabetic monitoring program within Chesapeake Public Schools.
The program has also changed day-to-day operations for school nurses like Kelly Jones. With real-time monitoring, school nurses can now track a student’s blood sugar levels throughout the day without waiting for alarms to sound.
“You catch it before they actually go down,” Jones said.
Instead of reacting to emergencies, nurses can proactively watch trends and respond when levels begin to rise or fall. Jones said that means fewer disruptions for students.
“It’s almost like the alarms are a backup now, which is great because the kids aren’t missing out on instruction time, which is really key when you are a school nurse,” she said.
The program first launched last year as a pilot with two students. Today, it has expanded district-wide and now serves more than 25 students.
“Monitoring students with type 1 diabetes remotely gives everyone relief. It gives them confidence in knowing that they’re on the right track throughout their day,” said Shannon Filer, program administrator of health services.
For Steffes, the change has been “life-altering.”
“It’s a huge relief so I’m not glued to my phone checking his numbers every day. I never worry anymore,” she said.
Chesapeake is now the second school district in Virginia to offer remote diabetic monitoring. Families interested in bringing a similar program to their school are encouraged to speak with their school nurse.