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Nurses
dispense comfort, compassion, and caring without even a prescription. ~Val
Saintsbury
The school nurse provides
direct health care to students and staff. The school nurse
provides care to students and staff who have been injured or who present
with acute illnesses. Care may involve treatment of health problems
within the scope of nursing practice, communication with parents for
treatment, and referral to other providers. The school nurse uses the
nursing process to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care for
students with chronic health conditions. This care should begin with the
development of a nursing care plan (also known as an individualized
health care plan) that should include an emergency action plan. The
school nurse is responsible for medication administration and the
performance of health care procedures that are within the scope of
nursing practice and are ordered by an appropriately licensed health
care provider. The school nurse also assists faculty and staff in
monitoring chronic health conditions.
The school nurse provides leadership for the provision of health
services. In addition to providing health services directly, the
school nurse must take into account the nature of the school
environment, including available resources. As the health care expert
within the school, the school nurse assesses the overall system of care
and develops a plan for assuring that health needs are met. This
leadership role includes developing a plan for responding to emergencies
and disasters and training staff to respond appropriately. It also
involves the appropriate delegation of care within applicable laws.
Delegation to others involves initial assessment, training, competency
validation, supervision, and evaluation by the school nurse.
The school nurse provides screening and referral for health conditions.
In order to address potential health problems that are barriers to
learning or symptoms of underlying medical conditions, the school nurse
often engages in screening activities. Screening activities may include
vision, hearing, postural, body mass index, or other screening.
Determination of which screenings should be performed is based on
several factors, including legal obligations, the validity of the
screening test, the cost-effectiveness of the screening program, and the
availability of resources to assure referral and follow-up.
The school nurse promotes a healthy school environment. The school
nurse provides for the physical and emotional safety of the school
community. The school nurse monitors immunizations, assures appropriate
exclusion from and re-entry into school, and reports communicable
diseases as required by law. The school nurse provides leadership to the
school in implementing precautions for blood borne pathogens and other
infectious diseases. The school nurse also assesses the physical
environment of the school and takes actions to improve health and
safety. Such activities may include an assessment of the playground,
indoor air quality evaluation, or a review of patterns of illness or
injury to determine a source of concern. Additionally, the school nurse
addresses the emotional environment of the school to decrease conditions
that may lead to bullying and violence and/or an environment not
conducive to optimal mental health and learning.
The school nurse promotes health. The school nurse provides health
education by providing health information directly to individual
students, groups of students, or classes or by providing guidance about
the health education curriculum, encouraging comprehensive, sequential,
and age appropriate information. They may also provide programs to
staff, families, and the community on health topics. Other
health promotion activities may include health fairs for students,
families, or staff, consultation with other school staff such as food
service personnel or physical education teachers regarding healthy
lifestyles, and staff wellness programs. The school nurse is a member of
the coordinated school health team that promotes the health and
well-being of school members through collaborative efforts. |
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