Weekly Digest

NASN news & updates

January 28, 2021

President's Message

COVID-19 testing has become more accessible, and using schools as testing sites has become a focus of discussion. Testing in combination with mitigation strategies is a valid option to slow the spread of the disease, according to the CDC.

However, there are many factors to consider when determining if school systems have the capacity to conduct COVID-19 testing or if partnering with a community healthcare provider or system is a better option.

NASN's new resource, Interim Guidance: Role of the School Nurse in COVID-19 Testing in Schools, is designed to help in that determination.

Laurie Combe, MN, RN, NCSN

NASN President

BETTER HEALTH. BETTER LEARNING. ™

NASN News and Highlights

JOSN February Podcast:

A Mixed-Studies Review of the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Zero-tolerance school disciplinary policies have contributed to the proliferation of exclusionary practices, which increase the risk that minority students will be harmed by the school-to-prison pipeline (STPP). The JOSN February 2021 Podcast is now available -- it explores factors that influence the STPP and highlight the role school nurses can play in protecting students from this public health crisis.

LEARN MORE

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Do You Get the JOSN Email Alerts?

Beginning in 2021, The Journal of School Nursing is now available online only for NASN members. To ensure you continue to receive new issues and up-to-date research, you must sign up for JOSN's email alerts.

Check Out SAGE/NASN Member Research Center

NASN and SAGE have teamed up to provide NASN members with access to school health and child health articles from a selection of journals published by SAGE. Articles will be available for six months and different articles will be highlighted every six months. This new Research Center is designed to increase NASN members’ access to current research related to school nursing and student health.

RESEARCH CENTER

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NASN EMPLOYMENT CENTER

COVID-19 Updates

Interim Guidance: Role of the School Nurse in COVID-19 Testing in Schools

This new resource, Interim Guidance: Role of the School Nurse in COVID-19 Testing in Schools, provides consideration for school nurses in determining if school systems have the capacity to provide testing for COVID-19 internally, or if partnering with a community healthcare provider is a better option.

Evaluation of Abbott BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test

CDC released a MMWR on evaluation of Abbott BinaxnNOW rapid antigen test for sars-cov-2 infection at two community-based testing sites. Sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test, compared with polymerase chain reaction testing, was lower when used to test specimens from asymptomatic (35.8%) than from symptomatic (64.2%) persons, but specificity was high. Antigen tests can be an important tool in an overall community testing strategy to reduce transmission.

New CDC Vaccine Communication Toolkit for Essential Workers

CDC released a new resource for employers to effectively communicate with employees to build confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine. As teachers and other school staff become eligible for the vaccine in states, this resource includes a template letter, slide deck, key messages, frequently asked questions, and other resources and sample documents.

COVID-19 Trends Among Persons Aged 0-24 Years

CDC released an MMWR on COVID-19 Cases in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults. Trends among children and adolescents aged 0–17 years paralleled those among adults. To enable safer in-person learning, schools and communities should fully implement and strictly adhere to multiple mitigation strategies.

Cardiac Recommendation Post-COVID-19 in Student Athletes

Resources are available for school nurses on cardiac assessment post COVID-19 and return to play recommendations. Check out these resources at AAP and the American College of Cardiology.

HHS ASPR TRACIE Helps Meet Info, Tech Needs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) created ASPR TRACIE in 2015 to provide information and address technical assistance needs of healthcare professionals, emergency managers, and public health practitioners. Their COVID-19 Resources Page includes 20 resource collections and plans, tools, and templates that incorporate the most current information available to address the biggest challenges faced by healthcare today.

Improving School Community and Student Health

February is American Heart Month

Research shows that we're more successful at meeting personal health goals when we join forces with others. When we take care of #OurHearts as part of our self-care, we set an example for those around us to do the same. Inspire and motivate yourself and those you love to make heart health a regular part of your self-care routine. Use these social media resources to get the word out at your school.

CDC Tool Helps Families Decide When and How to Go Back to School

Many parents, caregivers, and guardians face new and difficult choices about how their child will return to school. This tool is designed to help weigh the risks and benefits of available educational options to help them make decisions about sending their child back to school.

GETUsPPE Released December PPE Shortage Index

December PPE Shortage Index demonstrating that PPE remains critically short in many schools and a resource called – What is behind the Nitrile glove shortage? School nurses may request PPE or donate to support schools needing PPE.

Mark Your Calendar

Concrete Recommendations for Cutting Through

Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

12 P.M. CT February 2, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic presents multifaceted challenges for the US health care system. One such challenge is in delivering vital health information to the public — a task made harder by the scourge of health misinformation across the information ecosystem. For this event, sponsored by the National Library of Medicine, presenters will discuss recommendations for public health advocates and communication professionals drafting communication campaigns to maximize the chance that timely health advisories reach the public.

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 2020 calendar.

OBSERVANCES CALENDAR

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