Health Services
School Nursing
Did you know that some schools
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School nurses perform an incredible variety of tasks each day. They are members of the school’s administrative team and often act as advocates for the health and safety needs of children.
For example, they may help manage diabetes in a young child and provide education to the child’s family and school staff; they may provide staff training in emergency care of children with food allergies; help educate students and staff about basic hygiene and infection control; care for (and teach others to care for) children with special needs; provide assessments and referrals to community resources and agencies; review immunization records for compliance with state laws … not to mention apply first aid, give hugs, and dry tears … sometimes all in the same day!
Health Department School Nurse Support
Many schools in the nation do not currently meet the CDC’s goal of 1 nurse to 750 well students, but there is hope ahead. National legislation has been proposed to address this issue – HR 2730 and S 2750. The Health Department hopes to help advocate on local, state and national levels for these important improvements in school nursing services.
Check out more about school nurses and school nursing issues on the National Association of School Nurses’ web site at www.nasn.org
