Meet Your School Nurse New York State Association of School Nurses Caring For New York s Future www.nysasn.org
School Nursing: Then and Now October 1902: The first school nurse emerged in New York City challenged with providing nursing services to 4 city schools where absentee rates were highest due to communicable diseases. One year and 26 school nurses later, the absentee rate was decreased by 90% The primary health concern exhibited by students was that of a contagious illness or disease
School Nursing: Then and Now September 2009: The role of the school nurse has greatly expanded to include that of educator, advocate, consultant, manager and health care provider Students today come to school with asthma, seizures, diabetes and life-threatening allergies. They are also faced with emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges
Who Is The School Nurse A School Nurse is a Registered Professional Nurse who: Uses the nursing process to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the health needs of students and staff Administers medications and treatments per healthcare providers orders and parental written authorization based on established guidelines and district policy Follows communicable disease control procedures and informs and advises administration and/or parents regarding school exclusion and readmission
Who Is The School Nurse A School Nurse is a Registered Professional Nurse who: Provides care for student illnesses and accidents according to school policies and protocols Develops individualized health care plans (IHP) with specific goals, objectives and interventions for the students with special health needs and/or chronic health problems Performs necessary training and supervision if IHP includes delegating a nursing task to an LPN or assigning a health-related task to an unlicensed person
Who Is The School Nurse A School Nurse is a Registered Professional Nurse who: Serves as liaison between the medical community, the school and the staff regarding student health concerns Plans with administrators, teachers and other school personnel to modify the school environment for children with special health care needs Source: SED, Health Services Personnel in the Schools
School Nurse as Educator Educates teachers & staff how to recognize and respond to health care emergencies Educates administrators & staff on infection control procedures Educates students about their health conditions, treatments and medications Educates students how to properly use inhalers, EpiPens and insulin Educates parents on school safety issues Educates parents on school health policy
School Nurse as Advocate Works with school staff to provide a safe environment for students (playgrounds, indoor air quality, potential hazards) Works with school teams in the prevention and management of school violence, bullying, disasters and terrorism events Works with school counselors to promote the mental and emotional health of students Promotes staff health and wellness
School Nurse as Consultant Provides guidance in the development and evaluation of school health policies Addresses health concerns of staff and makes referrals as appropriate Works with Special Education office to provide input regarding health concerns for IEP s Works with the 504 team regarding appropriate accommodations to meet the health needs of students
School Nurse as Manager Collaborates with primary health care providers to develop appropriate plan of care for students with health needs Collaborates with school physician to develop health and safety policies and protocols Works with teachers and staff to implement healthcare plans to allow students to fully participate in academic and extracurricular activities
School Nurse as Health Care Provider Assess and document health appraisals for new students, students requiring sports physicals & students requesting working papers Provides vision, hearing and scoliosis screening annually to students K-12, as per Commissioner Regulations Reviews and documents medication orders and administers medication (oral, inhaled, injection) as prescribed by PMD Provides or assists student in administration of medical treatments (blood glucose monitoring, catheterization, nebulizer)
School Nurse as Health Care Provider Provides assessment, first aid and referral for student and staff illness and injury Provides crisis intervention during emergencies Monitors students with chronic and special health care needs and provides appropriate interventions to insure school attendance Develops Individualized Health Care Plans and Emergency Care Plans Monitors immunization status of all students Alerts parents and staff of communicable illness & prevention/treatment protocols
School Nursing Is The mission of the New York State Association of School Nurses is to advance the practice of school nursing and enhance the educational success of students by promoting quality health services. New York State Association of School Nurses Caring For New York s Future
School Nursing Is A specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well-being, academic success and lifelong 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 leaning National Association of School Nurses
Every Child Deserves a School Nurse Knowledgeable, compassionate, caring Caring for New York s Future
Resources American Academy of Pediatrics, Policy Statement: Role of the School Nurse in Providing School Health Services National Association of School Nurses New York State Association of School Nurses New York Statewide School Health Services Center
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