NASN named California Congressmen Dr. Raul Ruiz and Adam Schiff winners of the Lillian Wald Legislator/Public Policy Award for introducing the "Helping Educators Respond to Overdoses" or 'HEROAct,' which would save lives by expanding access to opioid overdose reversal drugs, such as naloxone, in schools, providing critical training for staff, and implementing educational resources for students and communities to combat the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.

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School nurses provide leadership in all phases of emergency preparedness and response. Safeguard your school community, create a naloxone program and campus protocols for emergency naloxone administration with NASN's Naloxone Education Toolkit.

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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.

• Students Are Missing More School, and School Nurses May Be Well-Positioned to Help (Source: showme.missouri.edu)
• ‘A Real-Life Hero,’ Pueblo County Middle School Nurse Helped Save a Parent’s Life (Source: koaa.com)
• RCS Nurses Are Essential to the Health and Wellness of Students (Source: twitter.com)
• Eastern Hills High School Nurse Honored With $10K Prize (Source: nbcdfw.com)
• Colorado Schools Working to Prevent Measles Outbreaks. How to Check Vaccination Rates at Your Child’s School (Source: cbsnews.com)
• The Relentless School Nurse: NASN Hill Day 2024 – Amplifying Our Collective Voice (Source: relentlessschoolnurse.com)

Emergency or rescue medications are an important life-saving tool in the school nurse’s office. School nurses are experts at understanding chronic conditions and responding to health emergencies, particularly for students with asthma, allergies, diabetes, and seizure disorders. To assist school nurses in this work, NASN offers the Emergency Medications Toolkit with resources to support school nurses in implementing evidence-based practice for emergency medication administration. 

Related Resources: 

• School Nursing Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline: Medication Administration in Schools
• School Nursing Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guideline: Medication Administration in Schools Implementation Toolkit
• NASN School Nurse Chat: 3-part series on OTC Medicine Safety

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced $50 million in state grants to help connect millions more children to essential school health services, including much-needed mental healthcare. Healthy Schools Campaign is hosting an informational webinar on Thursday, February 15, at 2 PM ET to discuss how the grants can be used to implement, enhance, and expand Medicaid-funded school health services. School nurses can play an integral role on grant teams and in implementation. Register here.

Born in 1912, Mary Kenner didn't merely break boundaries—she reshaped them! Her invention of the sanitary belt marked a significant advancement in women's menstrual health. Today, menstrual equity remains a vital and ongoing concern.

Related Resources:

• NASN School Nurse Chat: Menstrual Equity

We observe International Epilepsy Day on February 12. Started in 2015 and organized by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), the day aims to raise awareness and educate the public on the facts about epilepsy and the urgent need for improved treatment, better care, and more significant investment in research. Learn more.  

Join the Seizure Action Plan Coalition for Seizure Action Plan Awareness Week, February 12-19, 2024, to spread awareness about epilepsy and the importance of having an action plan in place. Get the 2024 Awareness Toolkit. School nurses can access sample Seizure Action Plans here in multiple languages.

With winter-related emergencies, preparation is key! Having a plan ahead of a winter storm is important for the entire school community. The plan can include communication details and instructions on what to do before, during, and after the weather-related event. View The National Weather Service's example of a school's weather-related emergency preparedness guide.

Exposure to cold temperatures can cause hypothermia, frostbite, and ice-related injuries. School nurses are well-positioned to share knowledge about these injuries. Check out the Infographic: Avoid Spot Treat: Frostbite & Hypothermia from CDC's Office of Readiness and Response.

School nurses play a key role in identifying students who are at risk for chronic absenteeism. Attendance Works offers Health Handouts: Health Guidance for Going to School, developed in collaboration with NASN and Kaiser Permanente. Schools and districts can communicate clearly and often with families to address fears about when to send a child to school after an illness. Learn more and download the handouts. 

Related Resources: 

• Course: A School Nurse-Led Initiative to Address Chronic Absenteeism
• The School Nurse-Led Active Surveillance Manual

• Maryland Association of School Health Nurses Conference 2023 - Changing Tides: Current Trends, Research and Management in School Nursing - March 9, 2024. Learn more and Register.

• New Jersey State School Nurses Association Spring 2024 Conference - SCHOOL NURSES Make the Impossible, POSSIBLE - March 15-16, 2024. Learn more and Register.

• School Nurse Organization of Washington - Spring Virtual Conference - Moving Forward with a Renewed Mindset - March 14-16, 2024. Learn more and Register.

• Vermont State School Nurses Association Spring Conference - March 16, 2024. Learn more and Register.

• Delaware School Nurse Association Spring Conference 2024 - March 22-23, 2024. Learn more.

• Pennsylvania Association of School Nurses and Practitioners 2024 Annual Conference - Opening Doors to School Health - March 22-24, 2024. Learn more and Register.

• New York State Association of School Nurses Annual Conference - Emergency Care in Schools - April 5-6, 2024. Learn more and Register.

• Missouri Association of School Nurses Spring Conference - Giving Students the Best of Us - Apr 13-14, 2024. Learn more and Register.

• Ohio Association of School Nurses 2024 Annual Conference - Our Future is Bright - Apr 19-21, 2024. Learn more.

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 2024 calendar. 

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