Weekly Digest from NASN View as Webpage Weekly Digest NASN news & updates August 4 , 2022 DONATE NASN News and Highlights See more. Upcoming Events See more. Weekly Digest Archive See past issues. Follow NASN on Social ‌ ‌ ‌ President's Message It is NASN's position that immunizations are essential to the primary prevention of disease from infancy through adulthood and that childhood vaccinations are an effective way of preventing serious childhood illnesses (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2017). NASN supports the elimination of all exemptions except those necessary for valid medical contraindications. School nurses are leaders who use evidence-based immunization strategies, such as School Located Vaccine (SLV) clinics, parent/guardian reminders about vaccine schedules, state immunization information systems (IIS), i.e., state registries, strong support of vaccination recommendations, and vaccine education for students, staff, and families. August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and this year is particularly important as families catch up on routine visits and vaccinations that may have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out NASN's position statement on immunizations, resources, and our toolkit further down in this issue of the Weekly Digest. Linda Mendonça, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC, NCSN, FNASN NASN President BETTER HEALTH. BETTER LEARNING. ™ NASN News and Highlights NASN Announces Second Round of Available Grant Funding NASN is pleased to announce the second Champions for School Health funding opportunity for projects designed to increase access to and confidence in the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine and school-required vaccines among under-resourced populations. Awards are limited to grantees within the Kaiser Permanente market in CA, CO, GA, HI, MD, OR, VA, WA, and the District of Columbia. For this second funding cycle, grants ranging from $10,000-$30,000 will be given. All applications must be submitted through the Application Portal by 5 p.m. EDT on Sept. 30, 2022. VIEW ANNOUNCEMENT NASN Position Statement: Complementary and Integrative Therapies When integrating complementary and integrative therapies into the school setting, the nurse steps beyond allopathic treatments into therapies that may not be accepted as traditional. It is the position of NASN that the registered professional school nurse advocates for evidence-based strategies that promote positive outcomes. It is important that when doing so, nurses familiarize themselves with the treatment requested and potential practice implications in light of federal and state regulations, district policy, and their state nurse practice act. READ THE STATEMENT Paid advertisements Article: School COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies Mixed as Experts Expect New Wave of Infections in Fall Some schools have announced they will require masks for all students and staff. While mitigation strategies in most districts may not be as stringent, some schools may continue testing for the virus or hold more vaccine clinics, said Linda Mendonca, NASN President. “We’re still in this pandemic, and the virus isn’t going away,” Mendonca said. “Schools need to be vigilant. They need to be proactive. Even if they do come to a point where it’s not necessary to do certain mitigation strategies, we always need to have them in our back pocket.” VIEW ARTICLE HERE Partnering with School Nurses for Children’s Vision and Eye Health As part of August's Children's Eye Health and Safety Month, check out the Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Expert Series video interview with NASN's Executive Director Donna Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN, CAE, FNASN. In this episode, "Partnering with School Nurses for Children's Vision and Eye Health," she discusses the significant role that school nurses play in protecting children's eye health and promoting healthy vision. WATCH THE VIDEO The Journal of School Nursing Article: Missed Vision Screenings for Students During The COVID-19 Pandemic During the 2020–21 academic year, COVID-19-related educational disruptions impacted school-based vision screenings. However, limited information regarding changes in vision screening and the number of students impacted has been reported. This JOSN article, Missed Vision Screenings for School-Age Children During The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey Based Study of NASN Representatives, aims to describe changes in school-based vision screening practices through a survey of NASN state representatives. 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.  DCPS nurse Jones wins state award (Source: messenger-inquirer.com) August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, Part of the Year of Children’s Vision at Prevent Blindness (Source: invisionmag.com) Madison Area Lions’ donations help school nurses (Source: themadisonrecord.com) Cherokee County School District announces School Nurse of the Year (Source: tribuneledgernews.com) COVID-19 Updates, Resources and Events School Readiness and Advancing Student Health through Collaboration It’s almost time for Back To School! Join NASN President Linda Mendonca and Tammy Alexander, VP of State Relations at the School-Based Health Alliance, for a webinar exploring the impact of the COVID pandemic on school-based health and the growing role of school nurses on August 12 at 1 p.m. EDT. This webinar is part of The National Nurse-Led Care Consortium Nurse-Led Forum for Vaccine Confidence. Register for the webinar. COVID-19 Precautions in Schools CDC answers common questions about slowing the spread of COVID-19 in schools and Early Care and Education programs. Check out these FAQs: What Parents Need to Know Masks Close Contacts and Contact Tracing Testing People at Risk for Getting Very Sick With COVID-19 Special Considerations Managing Chronic Health Conditions Course: Pediatric to Adult Care Transition for Students with Lupus This free NASN learning center course reviews the impact of pediatric-onset lupus on children and teens. Participants will identify the goal of transition planning, potential risks resulting from lack of transition support for teens and young adults, and apply the tenets of supporting frameworks to their role in contributing to a phased approach to transition planning from pediatric to adult care for continued effective and seamless self-management of the disease. Evidence-based current information, tools/resources, and strategies will support the confidence and competence of the school nurse role in transition planning for students with lupus with an emphasis on health equity for at-risk students. Learn more and complete the course. Improving School Community & Student Health Vaping and E-Cigarettes: FDA Toolkit for Working With Youth E-cigarette use among youth remains a problem. The FDA’s toolkit for professionals working with youth will provide the information you need to help educate your community about e-cigarettes and their effects on adolescents. Order, download, or print your copy today and share it with your sphere of influence. Together, we can help more adults talk with teens about the dangers of e-cigarette use and help youth quit using vapes. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]. NASN Resources: NASN offers the Vanquishing Vaping Toolkit full of information and resources to support school nurses in implementing evidence-based programs in their schools. You can also check out Vaping the Next Chapter - Utilizing Effective Tools and Resources to Combat E-cigarettes in Your School! in the NASN learning center. New CDC Resource for Monkeypox in Children and Adolescents On July 26, 2022, CDC developed considerations to assist school nurses and other healthcare providers develop a plan for managing children and adolescents with exposure to monkeypox, suspected monkeypox, or confirmed monkeypox. Learn more about clinical symptoms, treatment, and infection control. Vision Screening: Birth Through High School Undiagnosed and untreated vision disorders can impair student development, lead to behavior problems in the classroom, interfere with early literacy and learning, and lead to permanent vision loss if not detected and treated early. The National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health invites you to a webinar to provide information about evidence-based tools to help find children with these issues, on August 16, 2022, at 2:00 pm ET. This webinar is the first of a two-part series; the second (in the fall) will focus on helping families access eye care and treatment. Learn more and register. White House Announces New Actions to Address Youth Mental Health The Biden-Harris Administration announced two new actions to strengthen school-based mental health services and address the youth mental health crisis. Awarding the first of nearly $300 million, the President secured through the FY2022 bipartisan omnibus agreement to expand access to mental health services in schools. Encouraging Governors to Invest More in School-Based Mental Health Services. These actions build upon earlier investments and announcements designed to expand access to mental health services for youth and further President Biden’s Unity Agenda. Learn more and view the fact sheet. Protecting Children From Exposure to Lead A little lead can cause BIG problems. Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to affect learning, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement. The most important step that parents and caregivers, healthcare providers, and public health professionals can take is to prevent lead exposure before it occurs. Learn more about lead poisoning prevention. National Immunization Awareness Month August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This year, NIAM serves as an important reminder to catch up on routine visits and vaccinations that may have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Use these CDC resources to assist you in communicating about vaccinations during August and throughout the year. NASN Resources: Visit NASN's Immunizations page to find vaccine resources for school nurses, including NASN's Position Statement on Immunizations, the Immunization Transition Toolkit, and more! Mark Your Calendar Taking Diabetes To School Live webinar: September 23 The Barbara David Center for Diabetes Presents: Taking Diabetes to School for school nurses and clinic aides Register now Champions for School Health: Deadline for Submission of Grant Applications September 30 In this funding cycle, awards between $10,000 - $30,000 will be given. Awards are limited to grantees within the Kaiser Permanente market – California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia.  View the complete announcement with application instructions. Go to the application portal. View NASN's Champions for School Health Resource page. If you have any questions, please contact Deborah D’Souza-Vazirani at [email protected] or Stephanye White at [email protected]. NASN Annual Conference: Deadline to Complete NCPD CNE October 14 To receive the Certificate of Completion and be awarded Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) contact hours for the sessions for both In-Person and Virtual NASN2022, complete the assessments and evaluations on the Assessment and Evaluation Platform. Choose the event and the day of the session to locate assessments and evaluations for activities on that day. There you can also find the syllabus for each event (this includes the session handouts), event discussions, and instructions to complete NCPD. Instructions to Successfully Complete IN-PERSON NASN2022 Instructions to Successfully Complete VIRTUAL NASN2022 State Associations of School Nurses' Conferences Vermont State School Nurses Association (VSSNA): Working Together Conference - Sponsored by VSSNA & University of Vermont Medical Center Nurse Educators - August 24 - Learn more and Register Illinois Association of School Nurses Annual Conference - 65 Years of Improving Child Health Outcomes: School Nurses Leading the Path Towards Health Equity - September 30-October 1 - Learn more and Register Florida Association of School Nurses Face to Face 27th Annual Conference - Celebrating School Nurses in Supporting Student Success - October 14-15 - Learn more and Register Kansas School Nurses Organization - 46th Annual Governor's Conference for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect - October 11-20 - Learn more and Register Tennessee Association of School Nurses Fall 2022 Conference - Advancing the Professional Practice of the School Nurse: One Life at a Time - November 2-3 - Learn more and Register Texas School Nurse Organization Conference -Promoting student health by building resiliency - November 4-6 (Save the Date) Learn more Virginia Association of School Nurses Fall Conference - 36th Annual Fall Conference - November 5-6 (Save the Date) Learn more West Virginia Association of School Nurses Annual Fall Conference - Back to Basics - November 10-12 - Learn more Overseas School Health Nurse Association Spring Conference 2023 - March 26-27, 2023 - Learn more and Pre-register 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 2021 calendar. OBSERVANCES CALENDAR Acceptance of advertising on the ad banner 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 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]