School Nurses Improve Health, Reduce Absenteeism, and Improve Student Performance

By age 5, most children are spending more time in school than in any other activity.  This makes the school nurse a primary resource in recognizing and managing children´s health problems.  School nurses have professional education and expertise to function successfully in the separate complete systems of education and health care.

Optimal learning requires good emotional and physical health.  The school nurse is committed to each child´s individual development and safety.

The School Nurse is:

• serves as the child´s advocate
• assesses and evaluates individual growth and development
• acts as a resource for faculty, parents, and students
• provides individual health counseling to service emotional and physical health needs
• monitors student´s immunizations
• evaluates and monitors communicable diseases and implements strategies to prevent the spread of disease in the school

• conducts health screenings
• provides specialized health care and services
• identifies and refers possible pediatric and adolescent health problems for early diagnosis and treatment

• conducts health-related classroom instruction such as the maturation program, AIDS and sex education, and child abuse prevention
• acts as a special education team member for children with special needs.
• serves as a liaison with parents, physicians, community agencies, and support groups to provide medical care and assistance to families and students in need
• provides educational and promotional activities for the future healthy lifestyles of our students