Conference Blogs

I will be presenting at NASN2023 in Orlando, Florida on Monday, July 3, 2023 at 9:45 AM. For the session, The Power of an Inclusion Mindset , I have written a blog that is posted on my website . I hope you enjoy and and see you soon!

Are you stressed about legal requirements? Have you been told that school nurses do not need to be involved with transition in IEP meetings? On June 30 th , at 11:15 AM, a panel of experts will be presenting legal and practical guidance for school nurses to develop and implement healthcare transition planning for students with epilepsy. You do not want to miss this opportunity to participate in this incredible presentation, Transition for Students with Epilepsy – the School Nurse Role , a panel presentation. A wealth of resources has been developed for school nurses and will be shared with you. You will have hands on experience in writing transition ...

Looking forward to the in-person NASN Conference where we hope you'll join us for our session on "School Nurse and School-Based Health Centers Collaboration to Address Social Determinants of Health." In our roles as nurse practitioners and pediatric nurses, we recognize that c ollaborative efforts among the school health team to address social determinants of health (SDoH) are required to best serve our students and communities. We will explore collaborative efforts between community-based school nurses and school-based health centers (SBHCs) to co-create solutions that address SDoH and social needs. The school nurse is a critical, irreplaceable member of ...

Nursing shortages have created so many challenges for school health. We don’t have enough nurses, time, money, or resources! Using creative strategies for continuing professional development (CPD) can help support the education, retention and morale of a diverse school nurse workforce. We sent an informal survey using Qualtrics to school health supervisors across 24 districts in Maryland along with a review of the literature to learn about the impact of professional development on nursing practice. We came up with several creative strategies for Professional Development, you won’t want to miss! Find ways to keep your nurses motivated and interested by offering ...

RICHER School Nursing Experience and Better Outcomes for Kiddos! Equipping children for a lifetime of good health! What does that mean? For children with chronic health conditions, it means helping them become the masters of their destiny – of learning to control their condition vs. the health problem controlling them! They already have the job of growing up and now have the dual task of learning to live with a chronic health condition. The school nurse as care coordinator wears many hats. The first being instructor / guide / facilitator to help children understand their disease and medications or treatment along with teaching them critical self-care ...

Assessment of the Drug-Impaired Student in the School Setting Do you see substance abuse in your school? Are you asked to assess students that are thought to be drug impaired? Do you feel confident and prepared to do the physical assessment? Are you worried about the rising Fentanyl crisis? Choose our breakout session at In-Person NASN2023 to learn more about assessing students in the educational setting. Drug Impairment Recognition and Educational Community Training (D.I.R.E.C.T.) developed by Lori Harmon and Tammy Holley, veteran school nurses, for school nurses to use in the educational setting to assess and document when a student is thought to be ...

Have you ever thought about your liability as a school nurse? Let’s explore these issues as we talk about potential ways to avoid getting sued. Ten Ways to Avoid Getting Sued These are not foolproof, but the goal is to reduce your liability to the extent you can and enjoy your school nursing practice. Be nice to all students and their families. Know that it’s usually the parents who decide whether or not to bring a lawsuit. Leave a paper or digital trail. The first piece of evidence a person who is thinking about suing in a nursing malpractice lawsuit will often get is the medical record. Use terms you know. This applies to both medical and legal ...

NASN’s vision is that all students are healthy, safe and ready to learn . Couched in between healthy and ready to learn is our most challenging charge as school nurses, keeping our students safe. Gun violence is now the number one leading cause of death in children and teens, surpassing motor vehicle accidents. Schools have experienced an exponential rise in gun violence in the past five years since Parkland. We have accepted the unacceptable for too long. Parents, school staff, and students should not have to worry that their school will be the site of the next school shooting. “For decades, we’ve treated gun violence as a ...

The Yellow Tulip Project: How to bring hope and support to a middle school and its community with the goal of eliminating the stigma surrounding mental illness. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth ages 10 to 14 years (CDC, 2022). While rates of suicide have declined for the first time in many years, the rate of suicide attempts, particularly in adolescent females, continues to rise (CDC, 2022). This can be seen in the rate of emergency department visits where girls and young women have twice the rate of young men and boys (CDC, 2022). In February of 2020, my family was directly impacted by the sudden death of a close friend who died ...

I am honored to keynote the 2023 NASN Conference with the message, The Power of One and The Power of Many: School Nursing is about Relationships. Trusted relationships may be the most important variable for effective school nursing. The traditional challenges of building relationships are based on the 4 C’s: Communication, Collaboration, Cultural Competency and Caring. Today, COVID, crisis prevention, and mental health concerns present ongoing challenges. This motivational keynote is filled with "tips from the nurses’ offices" to help keep you and your students, staff and community safe and healthy so they can learn more and live better. It is packed ...

Satchels & Purses for Nurses is a silent auction fundraiser that supports the NASN Endowment Fund. We are excited that items purchased from non-profit groups or small businesses will be on auction this year. Items donated will include this information to help auction bidders with their selections. How to participate: Donate an item to be auctioned. Contact Julia Lechtenberg for direction . Attend In-Person NASN2023 in Orlando, Florida and bid on items. Donate directly to the Endowment Fund . Thank you from the NASN Endowment Fund Committee: Julia Lechtenberg, Amy Dark, Lisa Kern, Kathey Haynie, Stacey Whitney, Lori Haapala, Lou Ann Gleason, ...