Blogs - News

NASN2025 Early Registration Rate Ends May 1!

By NASN Inc posted 5 hours ago
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Join us at NASN2025: In-Person, Virtual, or both! These separate events, with different dates, presenters, and sessions, bring together school nurses, school health team members, and leaders in school health to strengthen their skills, share knowledge, and collaborate. Three registration options allow you to choose the one that best suits your schedule and needs. Secure your spot and don't miss out on the best rate— REGISTER by THIS THURSDAY, May 1, to save!

New JOSN Podcast: NASN Position Statements

By NASN Inc posted 8 days ago
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In this month's The Journal of School Nursing (JOSN) podcast, Outgoing Editor Martha Dewey Bergren welcomes NASN President Kate King and Executive Board Member Connie Griffin to discuss the NASN Position Statements found in the April issue of JOSN . Listen to the podcast . NASN has recently transitioned the publication of journal position statements from NASN School Nurse to JOSN . View the entire collection of NASN Position Statements .

Join Us in Amplifying Awareness of School Nurse Day!

By NASN Inc posted 13 days ago
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Celebrate School Nurse Day 2025 on May 7 with NASN's Virtual Toolkit ! The toolkit includes ready-to-use graphics, sample social media posts, and other promotional resources to highlight the vital role of school nurses.

Advocacy in Action: School Nurses Leading Legislative Change

By Laura Phillips, MPH, BSN, RN, NCSN posted 15 days ago
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Do you want to be more of an effective advocate for school age children and school nurses? Are you comfortable talking to legislatures? Do you know the difference between advocacy and legislation? NASN’s Advocacy Committee will help you find your voice at the NASN 2025 Pre Conference Leadership Summit. Advocacy in school nursing involves nurses acting as student advocates, protecting their rights, ensuring quality care, and speaking up for their needs, while also advocating for the profession and improving student health. School nurse advocacy is a key component of the profession, involving the promotion of policies and practices that support student ...

Colorado School Nurses Creating a Safer Environment for Colorado School Age Children

By Laura Phillips, MPH, BSN, RN, NCSN posted 18 days ago
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Congratulations to all those who serve on the CASN’s advocacy committee! The advocacy committee has been involved in updating the stock auto-injector epipen law to just epinephrine. What this means, is that, if passed, intranasal epinephrine will be able to be stored in the stock epinephrine lockers. Today, SB25-287 passed committee unanimously! We are not done yet. Next the bill goes to appropriations where the fiscal impact of the bill is discussed. In the meantime, please consider sending a thank you note to the sponsor of the bill: Kyle Mullica kyle.mullica.senate@coleg.gov Or maybe some ...

NASN Statement on NINR Staffing Changes and Impact on School Nursing Research

By NASN Inc posted 22 days ago
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The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) is deeply concerned about the significant staff reductions at the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), including the recent removal of Director Dr. Shannon Zenk. These developments come at a pivotal time in school health and threaten to derail critical momentum in nursing science that supports the health and academic success of our nation’s students. NASN calls on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and federal decision-makers to take immediate action to protect and restore the integrity of NINR, recommit to its mission, and prioritize the support of research that directly informs and advances ...

Beyond Ratios: Enhancing Safe and Equitable School Nurse Assignments Through Acuity Measurement

By Tonya Weaver, MSN-PH, RN posted 22 days ago
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Join me at IN-PERSON NASN2025 on 6/28/2025 from 2:00 – 3:15 PM for a dynamic and interactive session, Beyond Ratios: Enhancing Safe and Equitable School Nurse Assignments Through Acuity Measurement. Why We Created the Acuity Metric Tool School nurses are facing increasing student health needs, yet there are limited validated tools to guide safe and equitable nurse staffing. To address this challenge, Jeffco Public Schools developed the Acuity Metric Tool—an innovative, data-driven approach that assesses school acuity levels relative to nursing workload. By analyzing key data points, this tool ensures equitable assignments, improves student health ...

Supporting Students With a DNAR

By NASN Inc posted 27 days ago
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NASN's new NCPD program, Supporting Students with Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) Orders in the School Setting, provides an overview of the school nurse's role when planning and caring for students with a DNAR medical order. It also provides resources to support the sharing of information with school staff and advocating for appropriate care. Learn more and complete the course .

Free NCPD Webinar Empowering School Nurses | Ending Gun Violence in Our Communities

By NASN Inc posted 29 days ago
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One week away—on April 7, 2025, at 6:00 PM ET , NASN and End Family Fire will present the groundbreaking no-cost webinar: "Proactive Care: School Nurses' Crucial Role in Gun Violence Prevention." Join us to gain actionable strategies that will equip you to make a real difference in the fight against gun violence in our communities. Learn more and secure your spot .

NASN Responds to Executive Order on Education Department

By NASN Inc posted 03-24-2025
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 21, 2025 SILVER SPRING, MD — The National Association of School Nurses (NASN), representing nearly 20,000 school nurses across the country, is deeply concerned about the potential implications of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order directing the closure of the U.S. Department of Education to the maximum extent permitted by law. While the Department itself may be the focus of the Executive Order, the real impact will fall squarely on the shoulders of children—particularly the more than 7.5 million students with disabilities who depend on federal protections like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and ...

Laughing Together: Enhancing Student-Nurse Relationships Through Humor

By Soph Hall, DNP, MEd, BSN, RN, NCSN posted 03-24-2025
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The school nurse’s office is where students come when they feel sick, anxious, or overwhelmed. While medical care and compassion are essential, I’ve found that humor is one of the most powerful tools I can use. A well-timed joke or a lighthearted comment can ease anxiety, distract from pain, and create a welcoming environment for students. Laughter can lower stress and release endorphins, helping kids feel more at ease even when they’re not at their best. If a nervous child comes in worried about a scraped knee or a stomachache, a little humor can shift their focus away from discomfort and make the visit far less intimidating. I love using props to help break ...

NASN Names 2025 National Academy of School Nursing Fellows

By NASN Inc posted 03-19-2025
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printable version NASN Names 2025 National Academy of School Nursing Fellows Silver Spring, MD, March 19, 2025 — The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) recently named eight professionals for induction into the National Academy of School Nursing. They are: Patricia Endsley, Maine Rebecca King, Delaware Julia Lechtenberg, Michigan Wendy Rau, Nebraska Deborah L. Strouse, Ohio Andrea Tanner, Indiana H. Estelle Watts, Mississippi Leah Wyckoff, Colorado The induction ceremony will take place Thursday, June 26, 2025, during the Annual Business Meeting at the NASN2025 Conference in Austin, Texas. The honor of Fellow is the most ...

Web Meeting: Introducing Dr. Mayumi Willgerodt, Editor of The Journal of School Nursing (JOSN)

By NASN Inc posted 03-17-2025
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Join us for the next  Meet the Editor web meeting this Monday, March 24, 2025, at 3:30 PM ET . During this interactive meeting, Dr. Martha Dewey Bergren and Dr. Cathy Yonkaitis will host the new  JOSN Editor, Mayumi Willgerodt. Come and learn about the editors of NASN's two journal publications and the aims of each journal.   Register now .

NASN Launches Beyond Bandaids Podcast

By NASN Inc posted 03-12-2025
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NASN is proud to introduce Beyond Bandaids , a new podcast dedicated to celebrating the essential role of school nurses in shaping healthier school communities. Hosted by NASN CEO Terri Hinkley, EdD, MBA, BScN, RN, CAE, the monthly series will spotlight the voices of school nursing advocates, explore key policy issues, and share strategies that strengthen the profession. You can watch the podcast on NASN's YouTube channel or listen on Spotify . In the inaugural episode, Hinkley welcomes NASN’s Director of Government Affairs, Piper Largent, and Senior Policy Advisor at Venable LLP, Jim Twaddell, for an insightful discussion on NASN’s 2025 advocacy priorities ...

Updated Advocacy Web Pages and Resources Now Available

By NASN Inc posted 03-06-2025
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At NASN, we believe every child deserves access to healthcare at school to thrive both academically and personally. Explore our newly updated advocacy pages below to join us in advocating for healthier, safer learning environments. Together, we can ensure all children thrive! What School Nurses Do Including this new resource: The Vital Role of School Nurses: Public Perception and Policy Support Our Priorities Medicaid in School Nursing School Nurse Day State Advocacy Resources

Frequent Flyers or Preparing to Soar: The Effect of Stigmatizing Language in School Health

By Kimberly Garrett posted 03-05-2025
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Join me at IN-PERSON NASN2025 on 6/26/2025 from 2:30 – 3:45 PM for my interactive session, Frequent Flyers or Preparing to Soar: The Effect of Stigmatizing Language in School Health . Together, we’ll explore the critical role of language in school health and how it can shape student outcomes. What to Expect In this session, we’ll identify stigmatizing language commonly used in school health settings and discuss its impact on student well-being. Through interactive activities, you’ll learn strategies to: Recognize and replace stigmatizing phrases with inclusive alternatives. Foster a culture of respect and support for all students. Evaluate your ...

Congressman Hank Johnson & Senator Elizabeth Warren Win Lillian Wald Award

By NASN Inc posted 03-04-2025
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For Immediate Release February 26, 2025 Contact: Kate McDuffie National Association of School Nurses kmcduffie@nasn.org Congressman Hank Johnson & Senator Elizabeth Warren Win Lillian Wald Award SILVER SPRING, MD — The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) has named Congressman Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., of Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District, and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts as the winners of the Lillian Wald Legislator/Public Policy Award. Warren was unable to attend in person to receive her award. The award recognizes a legislator or public policy official who has supported or uniquely contributed to NASN, school ...

Holy Cow! I Just Saved a Student's Life

By Laura Phillips, MPH, BSN, RN, NCSN posted 03-01-2025
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Holy Cow! I Just Saved a Student's Life! Laura L. Phillips, MPH, BSN, RN, NCSN January 17, 2025 It was just before noon and I was in the conference room at my charter school documenting health information in a student’s IEP when one of my health aids came in and asked where the stethoscope was kept. This particular health aid is a registered nurse employed in a hospital as a flex NICU nurse as well as part-time in the school health room as an aid. This nurse does not need the money; as the nurse has previously asked to be a volunteer in the health room. But because of HIPPA, only staff can work in the health room and see students, so the school hired this ...

NASN2025 Registration is Open

By NASN Inc posted 02-24-2025
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NASN's Annual School Nurse Conference, NASN2025 , features two educational events to meet your needs. Separate conferences with unique schedules and presenters allow you to choose which format best suits you: in-person, online, or both! Virtual NASN2025 sessions are recorded and available for a full 90 days.

Caring for the Crisis: Empowering School Nurses to Address Mental Health Challenges

By Mary-Lee Helbing posted 02-23-2025
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Date and Time: This session is an “anytime session” and therefore can be viewed for 90 days beginning July 7, 2025! In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, mental health crises among students are a growing concern. School nurses are often the first to encounter students in distress, placing them at the forefront of crisis management. Recognizing the critical role they play, we (Dr. Meghan Pontz and Dr. Mary-Lee Helbing) are presenting an insightful session titled Caring for the Crisis: School Nurse Preparedness and Role Development . Our one-hour presentation will dive into the intersection of school nursing and mental health, exploring ...