School nurses are front line healthcare providers, serving as the bridge between the healthcare and education systems. School nurses serve as public health sentinels for schools as well as their communities. For many children living in or near poverty, the school nurse may be the only healthcare professional they access regularly. As the nation considers what a return to school looks like, school nurses are essential in infectious disease surveillance, identification and intervention for student physical and mental health concerns, health screenings, school located vaccinations, and immunization compliance efforts.

NASN’s Virtual Hill Day will create momentum and show support to help children be safe, healthy and ready to learn. Your participation in NASN’s Virtual Hill Day will show the ground swell of support that school nurses have across the country. Please tweet and email your member of Congress and Senators using the samples messages in our toolkit.

Racism, a public health crisis, threatens the health, educational attainment, and well-being of children and adolescents. Where racism exists, students of color experience adverse impacts on their health, well-being, and learning. Schools must be systems within communities where antiracism is the default culture and climate.

Data can be used to create and maintain a culture of evidence-based and data-informed practice. Evidence-based practice is the foundation of 21st century school nursing practice and is an integral part of the Scope and Standards of School Nursing Practice. Evidence-based, data-informed practice is utilized in all five of the key principles that make up the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice^TM.

Can you imagine any other disease or illness allowed to impact upward of 51 percent of elementary children without a public outcry and immediate response? Far too many of our children suffer from the silent epidemic of untreated oral disease, disproportionately affecting children of color and families with low incomes. Access this newly released resource from the School Based Health Alliance, School Oral Health Playbook, to learn about why we need an increase in oral health services, how to start a program, and what programs exist for our students.

Myalgic Encephalomyletis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is estimated to occur in as many as two out of 100 children and adolescents (CDC, 2018). This May, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) used its wide-reaching platforms to raise awareness of ME/CFS and celebrate the accomplishments of the ME/CFS community for the May-12th International Awareness Day for ME/CFS. See the results of CDC’s efforts at the links below:

The headache, migraine and cluster communities are working together during June to gain awareness and recognition of headache disorder as a legitimate neurobiological disease, to encourage those with headache or migraine to see a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment, and to let individuals with headache disorder know that there are new treatments available.

June 4, 2020 – 4 P.M. Eastern

As we move through the pandemic phases of COVID-19 – what will this new normal look like? Dr. Purvi Parikh and Tonya Winders explore where the state of COVID-19 and asthma care is at this time and discuss the potential future for schools and businesses.

June 18, 2020 – 7 P.M. Eastern

Biologic medications are changing asthma and allergy care providing more personalized options for treatment. Dr. John Oppenheimer will join us and address these program objectives.

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