Email from National Association of School Nurses Weekly Digest from NASN View as Webpage September 25, 2025 NASN Members—Help Shape NASN2026 Volunteer as a reviewer for presentation submissions. Apply today! School Nurses Push Back on Florida’s Move to End School Vaccine Mandates Read the full release. Latest from NASN See more. Upcoming Events See more. Weekly Digest Archive See past issues. President's Message The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has opened doors for millions of students across the United States, ensuring access to education that meets their unique needs for over 50 years. School nurses are vital in supporting students with disabilities—providing care, advocating for their needs, and ensuring access to education under the IDEA and Section 504. NASN's NCPD course, Students with Disabilities: Legal Issues—part of The Legal Survival Series for School Nurses—will help you understand your role in IEPs, review the IDEA, and apply practical strategies to strengthen daily practice and protect your license. NASN's School Nursing: A Comprehensive Text, 4th Edition, the most comprehensive, evidence-based resource for school nurses, delivers one-of-a-kind guidance on health assessments, IEPs, 504s, and legal foundations for school nursing. By deepening our knowledge and strengthening our practice, school nurses continue to be powerful advocates for students with disabilities and their families. Let's keep leading the way. Lynn Nelson, MSN, RN, NCSN NASN President Better Health. Better Learning.™   NASN News and Highlights Upcoming Webinar to Address Hearing Loss in Students NASN, in collaboration with the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management, invites you to the upcoming webinar Identifying Children with Hearing Loss: The Key Role of School Nurses in Evidence-Based Screening. NASN School Nurse Editor Cathy Yonkaitis, DNP, RN, NCSN, PHNA-BC, FNASN, will join expert presenters to share evidence-based methods, follow-up strategies, and resources that support school nurse practice. Choose the time that works best for you: October 9, 3–4 PM ET, register here. October 15, 6–7 PM ET, register here.   Paid advertisement   The NASN Employment Center: Your Career Development Destination NASN is proud to support school nurses at every stage of their career journey. The NASN Employment Center Career Planning Portal provides tools to research, gain insights, and plan your nursing career path with confidence. Are you an employer? The NASN Employment Center lets you post open positions in front of highly qualified school nursing professionals—and reach them directly with our exclusive Job Flash Email. Get Ready to Take the Stage at NASN2026, Stronger Together Do you have insights, projects, or research from your school nursing practice that could inspire peers and advance student health? NASN2026 is your opportunity to share knowledge, energize colleagues, and address pressing issues with a global audience of school health professionals. NASN—the only professional organization dedicated solely to empowering school nurses—invites you to present practical strategies, fresh ideas, and inspiring research at our premier In-Person and Virtual educational conference for school nurses. Learn more and submit by October 10. Volunteer Opportunity: Serve as an Item Writer for NASN’s New Certificate Program  NASN is seeking Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to serve as item writers for our new assessment-based certificate program grounded in the NASN School Nursing Practice Framework™. As part of this valuable opportunity, SMEs will complete the certificate course and earn 12.5 NCPD contact hours at no cost. You will receive expert training from NBCSN while helping to develop high-quality assessment questions that accurately measure learners' mastery of course objectives from September 2025 to February 2026.   This remote volunteer role requires about 2.5 hours per week, and NCSNs will also earn valuable CE credits toward recertification. If you're ready to make a meaningful impact in the field of school nursing, please contact NASN Chief Program Officer Kimberly Granados at [email protected] by September 30.   The following are paid advertisements   See what 7 out of 10 pediatricians prescribe for head lice! Learn more       Earn a PK-12 School Nurse Certificate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. As a School Nurse, you can greatly make a difference in the lives of young children, our most vulnerable members of the community. If you’re ready to embark on a rewarding journey in the field of school nursing, submit an application. Get started now.   School Nurses in the News 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. Heart of the School: Nurses Play Leading Role in Combating Districts’ Chronic Absenteeism Rates (Source: herald-zeitung.com) School Nurse Reunites With Student She Cared for When He Was a Fragile Newborn (Source: noozhawk.com PDY School Nurse Recognized for Saving Student’s Life (Source: northwestsignal.net) School Nurses: Keep K-12 Vaccine Mandates (Source: k12dive.com) Student Overdoses at Perry Township High School From Fentanyl-Laced Vape (Source: msn.com) RPS Continues Free Vaccine Program for Middle and High Schoolers (Source: richmonder.org) Valley School Districts Impacted by New State Law on How Students Receive Medical Care (Source: krgv.com) Roanoke City Public Schools Hires New Nursing Staff After Carilion Contract Ends (Source: wsls.com) Worcester Public Schools Faces Three Vacancies for School Nurse Positions (Source: citizenportal.ai/articles)   Managing Chronic Health Conditions What Role Do School Nurses Play in Addressing Student Mental Health? Student mental and behavioral health is a significant concern for school nurses. The Journal of School Nursing article, How School Nurses Perceive Their Role in Addressing Student Mental Health Concerns, highlights a qualitative study aimed at describing how school nurses perceive their role in addressing student mental health concerns and determining if these perceptions align with the components of an SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment) approach. NASN members receive complimentary subscriptions to The Journal of School Nursing and NASN School Nurse. Not a member? JOIN US TODAY! Related Resources: Elevating the Role of School Nurses on School Behavioral Healthcare Teams (1.0 contact hour) Mental Health Toolkit for School Nurses Caring for Students with Epilepsy: Application to Practice (1.0 contact hour)   Improving School Community & Student Health Celebrating Attendance Awareness Month September is Attendance Awareness Month, offering an opportunity for schools, districts, and communities to come together in recognizing the importance of regular attendance. School nurses are essential members of the school's interprofessional team, actively promoting attendance and addressing issues related to chronic absenteeism. Related Resources: Health Handouts | Attendance Works, developed in collaboration with NASN and Kaiser Permanente, to help schools and districts keep students healthy and avoid unnecessary absences. A School Nurse-Led Initiative to Address Chronic Absenteeism (1.0 contact hour) Sepsis Awareness Month: Infection Prevention is Sepsis Prevention™ September is Sepsis Awareness Month. Sepsis, the body's overwhelming and toxic response to infection, kills over 350,000 adults in the U.S. every year. Through public education, we can raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis, so that people in our communities know when to seek emergency care. Together, we can help save lives and limbs from sepsis. Learn more at SepsisAwarenessMonth.org. Help Focus Attention on the Need for Research and Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Students with sickle cell disease often face physical and emotional challenges that can impact their health, learning, and well-being. School nurses play a fundamental role in disease management. To learn more about this condition, visit sicklecelldisease.org.   Mark Your Calendar   Virtual NASN2025 Registration Extended! The registration deadline is now  September 30. Start the school year strong—Register Now! Identifying Children with Hearing Loss: The Key Role of School Nurses in Evidence-Based Screening Two dates and times: October 9, 3-4 PM ET October 15, 6-7 PM ET NASN2025: Deadline to Earn NCPD for Both In-Person and Virtual October 10 Earn NCPD for: In-Person Virtual Deadline: NASN2026 Presentation Submissions October 11 Learn more and submit your proposal. Application Deadline: NASN Scholarships October 15 Learn more and apply. Proposal Submission Deadline: NASN Research Grants October 31 Learn more and submit.   State Associations of School Nurses' Conferences School Nurse Organization of Washington 2025 Fall Conference - School Nurses: Adapting to a Changing World - October 10-11. Learn more. 2025 Texas School Nurses Organization Conference - School Nurses: Innovating School Health - November 1-2. Learn more. Virginia Association of School Nurses Fall Conference 2025 - Charting the Course: Navigating the Future of School Nursing - November 8-9. Learn more. Tennessee Association of School Nurses Fall Conference 2025 - Bridging the Gap - November 9-11. Learn more. 2025 Indiana Association of School Nurses Annual Conference - Building Bridges - November 10-11. Learn more. West Virginia Association of School Nurses 2025 Fall Conference - November 13-15. Learn more. Utah School Nurse Association Fall Conference - November 14. Learn more. School Nurse Organization of Minnesota 2025 Conference - November 14-15. Learn more. Delaware School Nurse Association 2025 Fall Conference - November 20. Learn more. NASN Calendar of Events This calendar includes upcoming events hosted by NASN and NASN affiliate school nurse organizations. Access the calendar. NASN CALENDAR National Health Observances Calendar This calendar lists special days, weeks, or months dedicated to raising awareness about important health topics. Access the 2025 calendar. OBSERVANCES CALENDAR Acceptance of advertising on the top or bottom ad banner or other ad placements in this newsletter or resource information listed within in no way implies endorsement of advertised or listed products or services by NASN. No endorsement is intended or implied.   NASN | nasn.org National Association of School Nurses | 1100 Wayne Avenue Suite 925 | Silver Spring, MD 20910 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice