What School Nurses Do

School nurses are responsible for the health of children by, including, but not limited to:

• Assessing the severity of illness or injury in students.
• Distributing medications to student that is provided and approved by their parents and healthcare providers.
• Caring for students with chronic conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy/seizures, asthma, allergies/anaphylaxis, and others.
• Ensuring all students are up to date on their vaccinations/immunizations.
• Directing the provision of health services within the school.
• Screening students for vision, hearing, and other potential health issues.
• Preventing and controlling the spread of communicable diseases.
• Connecting students and their families to relevant health resources.
• Providing mental health support to students in need.
• Collecting health data in schools to provide to local, state, and national officials.
• Promotion of overall school community health through education and wellness initiatives.
  

And of course, providing urgent, episodic care to students including band-aids or ice packs to children with cuts, scrapes, and bruises.

School nursing, a specialized practice of nursing, protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. School nurses, grounded in ethical and evidence-based practice, are the leaders who bridge health care and education, provide care coordination, advocate for quality student-centered care, and collaborate to design systems that allow individuals and communities to develop their full potential.  Adopted by the NASN Board of Directors February 2017.

Use of these data must be cited: Willgerodt MA, Tanner A, McCabe E, Jameson B, Brock D. Public School Nurses in the United States: National School Nurse Workforce Study 2.0. The Journal of School Nursing. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1177/10598405241253565