Over 95% of school aged children (more than 50 million) attend school representing an opportunity to collect true population level data. As collectors of population data, school nurses hold the key to understanding the health of our nation's children. While national experts can only estimate the number of children with chronic health conditions, school nurses are in a position to accurately report every student in their case load with such conditions.
Collecting data at a national level brings visibility to the needs of students to be healthy and safe at school, and the ways in which school nurses support those needs. Collecting and sharing data provides a powerful platform to describe child health, and the collective impact of school nursing.
This information can be used within our own state as well, to guide state legislation, policies and practices! NJSSNA is assisting with the data-collection process. It is our hope that every school nurse will participate. This includes those that work in public schools, private/parochial/special-needs schools, and charter school within the state of NJ.
You can assist NJSSNA in this endeavor by sharing the link below with school nurses who are non-members. There is Power in Data - let's work together to collect data and strengthen our profession for the betterment of our state and nation's children.