Strategies for Schools to Promote Adolescent Health

NASN's new NCPD program, Highlighting Key Findings from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report, provides an overview of the recent YRBS Report and discusses its relevancy and impacts on school nursing. Learn to:

• Describe disparities in adolescent sexual behavior, substance use, experiences of violence, mental health, and suicidality by race and ethnicity, sex, and sexual identity.
• Describe trends in adolescent health and well-being between 2011 and 2021.
• Identify strategies that schools can use to promote adolescent health.

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NASN's Kate King on Panel at Youth Drug Use and Overdose Webinar

On May 31, 2023, at 2:30 pm ET, The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and The United States Department of Education will host the webinar Preventing Youth Drug Use and Overdose: Strategies to Keep Students Alive and Healthy. Guest speakers, including NASN's President-Elect Kate King, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Dr. Rahul Gupta, and the U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, will discuss efforts to reduce youth drug use and overdose, evidence-based primary prevention, access to naloxone, and resources to support schools. Register for the webinar.

School Nurse Mental Health Intervention Practices and COVID-19

Mental health issues have been exacerbated by COVID-19. The Journal of School Nursing (JOSN) research article, Effects of COVID-19 on School Nurse Mental Health Intervention Practices, examined how the school nurses’ role in addressing mental health changed during the pandemic by administering a nationwide survey in 2021, guided by the NASN Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™ and analyzing self-reported changes in mental health interventions by school nurses. Insights into the role of school nurses in addressing student mental health during public health disasters have important implications for future disaster preparedness efforts.

• An online subscription to JOSN is included with a membership to NASN. Current and previous articles are indexed online. Sign up for New Content alerts for JOSN.

School Nurses Address Vaccine Hesitance for Student Health & Safety

In the NASN School Nurse May Podcast, Cynthia Galemore, NASN School Nurse Editor, interviews Olivia Wilson and Brenna Morse about the article "Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy Among Students and Families: Interventions for School Nurses." Listen here.

Transform Student Health Equity by Donating to Endowment Challenge

The 2022-23 NASN President's Endowment Challenge theme is Transform Student Health Equity. The NASN Endowment Fund provides meaningful school nurse research grants and educational scholarships to advance school nursing and school health practice. By donating, you will help every student obtain equitable access to the health care they deserve. No donation is too small. Learn more and consider donating.

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This section highlights news stories featuring NASN and school nurses. If you have a story about school nurses you'd like us to consider including, please send it to us.

• Nurses Spread the Word About Gun Safety (Source: nurse.com)
• Dawn Sebranek Named ‘School Nurse Administrator of the Year’, Dedicates Award to MMSD Health Services Team (Source: madison.k12.wi.us)
• School nurse receives Youth Advocacy Award (Source: catawbaschools.net)
• FOX Carolina Investigates: Narcan needed in schools? (Source: foxcarolina.com)
• CPSD Staff Spotlight: Tracy Park (Source: thesubtimes.com)
• Philadelphia school hosts Mini Nurse Academy program for elementary, middle school students (Source: kesq.com)
• Ames Elementary honors its school nurse with Heart Award (Source: waldo.villagesoup.com)
• Additional School Nurses Complete National Certification (Source: einnews.com)
• Parents urged to get required immunizations for kids (Source: kten.com)
• School Behavioral Health Professionals to be Honored (Source: delaware.gov)

Advancing Health Equity and Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

NASN's new NCPD program, Evidence-Based Decision Making - "As-Needed" Inhaled Corticosteroid Therapy for Pediatric Asthma, provides an overview of the prevalence of asthma among students, describes evidence-based treatment options for mild persistent asthma, and shows how the NASN Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™ guides the school nurse role in promoting student health equity, with asthma as a focus. Learn more and complete this educational offering to earn 1.0 NCPD contact hours. This program is free for NASN members.

Using nursing expertise and proximity to vulnerable students, a school nurse-led active surveillance program can proactively identify and document student health concerns and assist students and families in getting the care they need. NASN's no-cost School Nurse-Led Active Surveillance Manual provides a standardized, evidence-based procedure for school nurses to address health related absences and chronic absenteeism.

On May 23, 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. While social media may offer some benefits, there are ample indicators that social media can also pose a risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.  

With adolescence and childhood representing a critical stage in brain development that can make young people more vulnerable to harm from social media, the Surgeon General is issuing a call for urgent action by policymakers, technology companies, researchers, families, and young people alike to gain a better understanding of the full impact of social media use, maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of social media platforms, and create safer, healthier online environments to protect children. 

See NASN's NCPD program, The Biopsychosocial Impact of Tech Dependence: It's Putting Us At Risk.

The recently released SAGE Perspectives blog, School Nurses Reflect on Navigating Challenges and Inspiring Change for a Better Future, shares results of interviews with school nurses highlighting their perspectives and experiences during this monumental time in history and underscoring that with the proper support and resources, school nurses can continue to do their jobs effectively and make a difference in the lives of their students. Read the blog.

• SAGE Perspectives blogs highlight topical and interesting research published in SAGE books and journals. See other blogs highlighting articles from The Journal of School Nursing and NASN School Nurse.

Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center, in partnership with Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, released the K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit. The toolkit supports K-12 schools in strengthening school safety reporting programs and encouraging bystander reporting.

Celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day: Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030, breaking the taboos and ending the stigma surrounding menstruation, raising awareness about the challenges regarding access to menstrual products, education about menstruation and period-friendly sanitation facilities, and mobilizing the funding required for action.

Check out NASN's School Nurse Chat on Menstrual Equity.

• 2023 Mississippi School Nurse Association Conference - Transformation Through Adversity: The Resilient School Nurse - May 31-June 2, 2023 - Learn more and Register

• South Carolina Association of School Nurses 21st Annual School Nurse Summer Conference - Riding the Wave of Resiliency - June 11-13, 2023 - Learn more

• School Nurses of Arizona 34th Annual School Health Conference - Back to Basics: The ABC's of School Nursing - June 12-13, 2023 - Learn more and Register

• 2023 Georgia Association of School Nurses Annual School Nurse Conference - Restore our Light - June 13-16, 2023 - Learn more and Register

• The 34th Annual Statewide Summer Conference for Kansas School Nurses - Strengthening the Essentials: Foundations for Student Health - July 17-20, 2023 - Learn more and Register

• 2023 South Dakota School Nurse Association Summer Conference - Building the Future of School Nursing in South Dakota - July 18-20, 2023 - Learn more and Register

NASN Calendar of Events

This calendar includes upcoming events hosted by NASN and NASN affiliate school nurse organizations. Access the calendar.

National Health Observances Calendar

This calendar lists special days, weeks, or months dedicated to raising awareness about important health topics. Access the 2023 calendar. 

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