FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2020
Contact person: Jennifer McNally
National Association of School Nurses
jmcnally@nasn.org / 703-863-2991
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NASN Calls for 10,000 More School Nurses
SILVER SPRING, MD -- On April 15, 2020, NASN sent a letter to Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, Sen. Patty Murray requesting funding for 10,000 school nurses for the upcoming school year.
As schools across the country prepare to reopen in the recovery phase of COVID-19, school re-entry will bring many challenges for students as they resume classes in school year 2020-2021. Students will experience mental and behavioral health concerns that may present as physical health issues; they will need support from school nurses.
“The school nurse is more important than ever before. We help students grow and thrive,” said NASN President Laurie Combe, MN, RN, NCSN. “A professional school nurse is needed for every school because school nursing is the foundation for student physical and mental health.” School nurses are experienced in population-based health, including illness surveillance and have expertise needed during return to school planning. School Nurses partner with parents/guardians and health care providers to help manage chronic health conditions of students, and while remote learning is going on, school nurses support the health and safety of students, families and school staff.
School nurses are front line health care providers, serving as the bridge between the health care and education systems. Whether they are hired by school districts, health departments, or hospitals, school nurses look after the physical and mental health of students in school. School nurses, as public health sentinels, engage school communities, parents, and healthcare providers to promote wellness and improve health outcomes for children. For many children living in or near poverty, the school nurse may be the only health care professional they access regularly. Access to a school nurse is a student equity issue.
“School nurses influence wellness and disease prevention practices in our communities now more than ever during these changing times,” said NASN Executive Director Donna Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN. “When a school nurse is present to meet student healthcare needs, parents and school administrators know that children and youth can focus on learning.”
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About NASN
The National Association of School Nurses is a non-profit specialty nursing organization, first organized in 1968 and incorporated in 1977, representing school nurses exclusively. NASN has more than 16,000 members and 50 affiliates, including the District of Columbia and overseas school nurses. The mission of NASN is to optimize student health and learning by advancing the practice of school nursing. Please visit us at www.nasn.org
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