MEET OUR NURSE:
Many people think that the school nurses' job consists only of applying band-aids, giving medications and sending home sick children. Although this may have been true many years ago, times have changed. School Nursing has now been defined as a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well being, academic success, and life-long achievement of students. To that end, school nurses facilitate positive student responses to normal development, promote health and safety, intervene with actual and potential health problems, provide case management services, and actively collaborate with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self-management, self-advocacy, and learning.

WHAT DOES THE SCHOOL NURSE DO?
The primary role of the School Nurse is to support student learning. The nurse accomplishes this by implementing strategies that promote student and staff health and safety. A School Nurse, with appropriate preparation, takes a leadership role in serving as the coordinator of all school health programs in the following manner. She serves as the coordinator of the health services program and provides nursing care. She provides health education to students, staff and parents. She identifies health and safety concerns in the school environment and promotes a nurturing school environment. She also supports health food services programs and promotes healthy physical education, sports policies and practices. She provides health counseling, assesses mental health needs, provides interventions and refers students to appropriate school staff or community agencies. The School Nurse also promotes community involvement in assuring a healthy school and serves as school liaison to a health advisory committee. She also provides health education and counseling, and promotes healthy activities and environment for school staff.

WHAT SERVICES DOES THE SCHOOL NURSE PROVIDE?
As the health services expert, the School Nurse serves as the health professional for the school community and provides the following services:
1. Illness and injury assessments and interventions
2. Identification, assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation of student health concerns
3. Health assessments and participation in Individualized Education Plan development
4. Pediatric nursing procedures such as tube feedings, catheterizations and other technical procedures
5. Screening for health factors impacting student education
6. Activities and education to promote health and prevent alcohol and substance abuse
7. Chronic disease management and education
8. Individualized nursing care plans and services for students with disabilities and/or health conditions that interfere with learning
9. Medication administration
10. Assessment and interventions for students with mental health needs
11. Crisis team participation
12. Health curriculum recommendations
13. Guidelines for school district health policies, goals and objectives
14. School/community/ health care provider liaison

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES A SCHOOL NURSE MAKE?
It has been documented that school nursing interventions improve student health to impact achievement and success; that school nurses collaborate with administrators to promote a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment; that parents are confident that their child’s health needs and injuries are appropriately handled during the school day, and that teachers are freed up to devote their time to educating students because the School Nurse coordinates the health care needed by students. The work of school nurses has been shown to decrease absenteeism and decrease discipline referrals.

If you wish to learn more about the services that the school nurse provides, kindly click onto any of the topics below.

If you have any questions or concerns on any health related issues I would be most happy to hear from you. I am available during school hours and can be reached by using the main school phone number.