The role of school nurses

The health care industry leans heavily on nurses. Qualified nurses play integral roles in hospitals, assisted living facilities, private practices, and community health centers. Nurses also play vital roles in schools.

School nurses are valued members of both the medical and educational communities, and have been for more than a century. According to the National Association of School Nurses, the practice of school nursing dates back to 1902. Lina Rogers was the first school nurse, and she was hired as a means of combatting absenteeism. School officials felt Rogers could play a vital role in reducing absenteeism by helping students and their families understand their health care needs in relation to communicable diseases. And the role of school nurse has been evolving ever since.

Advocacy

The NASN notes that school nurses act as advocates for individual students, working with them in promotion of self-management practices that enable students to manage their conditions and make life decisions. In addition, school nurses affect policy by serving as agents of change whose experience can be invaluable in health care reform and the implementation of new policies.

Community health

Modern school nurses follow in the footsteps of Lina Rogers by educating students and their parents on a wide range of topics, including healthy lifestyles, preventive selfcare, risk-reducing behaviors, and developmental needs. These efforts can help reduce the spread of communicable diseases, which can affect both the school and overall community. School nurses also can share information about local health care services and financial resources with local families who may have difficulty uncovering those services on their own.

Care coordination

The NASN notes that school nurses can serve as case managers who coordinate student health care after working with physicians, families and school officials. School nurses can deliver care during the day by administering medication and performing routine treatments and procedures. School nurses also can educate their fellow educators about students’ chronic conditions or special health care needs to ensure children’s needs are effectively managed during the school day.

These are just a few of the roles school nurses play every day as they work to provide quality care for their students and protect the health of the communities in which those students reside.