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While school nurses have long been recognized for their vital role in supporting children’s educational success through better health, there is increasing recognition that school nurses are integral to reforming our health care delivery system. School nurses are the eyes and ears of the school community; being physically present throughout the school day makes them uniquely positioned to be a child’s health care touch point across multiple settings, from the classroom to the physician’s office.
This past month, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement highlighting the important role school nurses play across a child’s continuum of care. In particular, the AAP statement recommends that every school should have at least one nurse. In instances with larger student populations and/or greater need, more than one nurse may be necessary. This is important on a number of fronts but most notably because many schools currently go without this important resource. In 2014, more than half of all elementary schools did not have a registered nurse working at least 30 hours a week.
(S)chool nurses are able to:
- Educate and promote health and safety, including what makes a healthy living environment
- Identify and intervene in potential health and wellness issues—including addressing social determinants of health that impact children
- Collaborate with physicians and health teams by jointly developing and implementing medical action plans for a vast array of conditions
- Provide case-management services
- Provide on-site care for illness or injury emergencies
- Identify behavioral health risks, while providing support to the student in school and referral to appropriate resources
- Build capacity for health learning, self-advocacy, and literacy