By Amy Gudehus
Hello! My name is Amy Gudehus and I am the new nurse in the Knox County R-I Schools.
A little about myself: I graduated from Knox County High School in 2015, after which I went to Truman State University, and graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2019. I became a registered nurse and moved to St. Louis where I worked at Mercy St. Louis Hospital for two years. I was a step-down ICU nurse on their Transitional Care Unit. In March of 2020 we became the Covid Unit, and I have been caring for step-down Covid and other step-down patients ever since.
I just moved home and I am excited to be back in Knox County to implement the “Test to Stay” program.
The Test to Stay program was approved by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services as well as the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in October 2021. Basically, with this option, students and staff will be able to get tested at school if they are a close contact to someone who is known to be positive for Covid-19. Once they are identified as a close contact, I will notify parents of this fact and ask which quarantine option they want their child to participate in. (A detailed look at quarantine options, including the test to stay in option, are listed on the next page).
As long as students mask, get tested on the days listed, and don’t develop any symptoms of Covid-19, the Test to Stay option allows them to not miss any school. The test is a nasal swab and results within 15 minutes. All Covid-19 testing and results are reported to the state.
These past two years have been tough on everyone, and this is a way for us to safely get back to something next to normal. I look forward to working with everyone.
(Editor’s Note: This message wast sent to parents with students at the KCR-1 School District.)
