School Nursing

School nursing is a branch of nursing dedicated to promoting and maintaining the health and well-being of school-age children, through collaboration with families, school staff, and the community.

Now, school nursing is meant to provide continuity of care between school, home, and the community healthcare system. While services vary among states, communities, and institutions, the services provided reflect the specific needs of students, availability of community resources, funding, and school preferences.

Depending on the need, the school nurse may act in a variety ofassf roles including direct caregiver, educator, case manager, counselor, or community liaison.

Regardless of the specific role, school nursing typically addresses health education, which aims to promote healthy behaviors and provide information on practices that can negatively impact health; physical education, which helps students develop skills and habits that promote physical fitness and health; and health services, consisting of preventative care; acute and chronic condition management; counseling; referrals; and emergency preparedness and response.

Additionally, school nursing can expand to the school’s support staff, students’ families, and the community. Support staff can benefit from health promotion programs through the school, such as those that focus on maintaining a healthy blood pressure or encouraging physical activity. Students’ families and the surrounding community can benefit from community outreach programs based on local needs and available resources.

So, as the school nurse you’ll provide education and offer health services based on the needs of the school and its students.

Starting with health education, you can provide instruction on ways to prevent injuries such as sprains, fractures, and even traumatic brain injuries. Injury prevention education should begin early, so be sure to tailor your education to meet the needs of various age groups. For example, you can introduce bicycle safety, like wearing a helmet, to elementary school students; whereas issues in motor vehicle safety, such as avoiding cell phone use while driving, will be more relevant to teenage students learning to drive. You can also emphasize the importance of protective gear, like mouth guards and helmets, to students partaking in sports, especially contact sports.

When you’re providing education on substance use, you’ll want to include information on substances such as tobacco and vaping; alcohol; prescription medications; and illicit drugs. For instance, you may conduct a class that outlines the risks associated with using alcohol and teaches students how to engage in healthy decision-making when facing peer pressure.

Additionally, you can share information on the signs and symptoms of substance impairment with teachers and support staff, and counsel them on what to do if they're concerned a student could be under the influence of a substance.