May 7th is School Nurse Day

National School Nurse Day, May 7, 2014, is a time to celebrate the specialty practice of school nursing. National Association of School Nurses (NASN) applauds the contributions school nurses make every day to improve the safety, health, and academic success of all students.

The theme this year, “The School Nurse: Caring for Others. Caring for Ourselves.” is reflective of the significant roles school nurses have in the healthcare in their school communities, as well as in modeling health and resiliency. That healthy children learn better is a simple truth, and school nurses work to remove barriers to learning. In the United States more than 73,000 school nurses are stepping up to help students meet new challenges they face today and working to support education and advance student health. Health, healthy lifestyles and graduation are the goals.

“School nurses focus on prevention and well being for students and families through education regarding healthy lifestyle choices and management of chronic diseases. Chronic conditions such as asthma, allergy and obesity require a plan of care that school nurses create and implement through communication with parents and healthcare providers,” said NASN President Carolyn Duff, MS, RN, NCSN . “Quality school health services demand school nursing skills and practices based on the strongest scientific evidence, and updating knowledge is continually necessary for health and safety of students. School nurses are healthcare connectors who keep students in classrooms ready to learn.”

NASN believes all teachers deserve to have school nurses in their buildings, so teachers can focus on instruction and individual educational needs; and parents deserve to feel secure that children are safe at school and their health needs are met every day by specialized school nurses. School nurses have the skills to plan and implement care for students with chronic and medically complex conditions and prepare school staff to recognize and respond appropriately to potential emergencies. Prevention is key in school wellness and safety, but planned emergency response and disaster preparedness is essential and an important role for school nurses.

“It is a tremendous privilege to honor our nation’s school nurses as we celebrate National School Nurse Day,” said NASN Executive Director Donna Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN. “School nurses influence wellness and disease prevention practices as change agents in schools and communities.”