NYSASN History
It takes many committee individuals to run an effective, well run organization. Since 1986, the Board of Directors of the New York State Association of School Nurses (NYSASN) has tirelessly worked to provide exceptional educational programs and support to school nurses who have varying degrees of experience and knowledge.
In a windowless basement room, NYSASN collaborated with the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) and the State Education Department to develop the School Nurse Orientation Program and welcomed 60 attendees in the summer of 1987.
"Judy Harrigan and I decided that NYS should have an organization for school nurses ... the rest is history. When I was elected first president with Judy as my successor, we charted unseen water, believe me. We persevered and now look at you." ~ Ann Reddington, 1st NYSASN President, 1986
The History of School Nursing
"School nursing began by utilizing the public health, population-based approach and effectively resolved rampant communicable disease and chronic absenteeism." (Bergren, 2017)
In 1897, 150 physicians where hired by the New York City Board of Health.
School Health began as a physician driven model that involved the doctor inspecting and excluding 10 to 20% of the students from school for communicable diseases without providing any treatment. (Struthers, 1917)
In 1902, Lillian Wald, RN assigned Lina Rogers, RN, a Henry Street Settlement nurse, to 4 NYC schools serving 10,000 children.
Along with a physician, students were screened and sent back to class or sent home. Nurse Rogers made follow-up home visits. Her focus was on hygiene and preventive health measures.
One Month Later ...
A successful experiment demonstrated that student absenteeism was reduced by 50%. The NYC Board of Health hired Nurse Rogers to work in the city schools. By the end of the 1902 school year, 27 school nurses were hired and served 10,000 students in 4 to 5 schools.