September 1, 2022

Drive Health Equity: Increase Vaccine Access, Confidence, & Uptake 

Schools, school nurses, and community organizations in CA, CO, GA, HI, MS, OR, VA, WA, and the District of Columbia have one month left to apply for 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, particularly in under-resourced communities. See examples of Past Projects.

It is crucial that children, and specifically those in underserved communities, have equitable access to vaccines. The deadline to apply is September 30. Apply today.

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Yahoo Life reached out to five school nurses from across the country, including NASN President Linda Mendonça, and asked them to share what they want caregivers to know to help ensure their children are healthy and ready for the school year.

Understandably some families may wonder what COVID protocols will look like and how to decide when to keep their child home from school. Along with a student's physical health, school nurses say it's just as important that caregivers share any pertinent information about their child's mental health. This can include anxiety and depression — "We know that the pandemic really impacted students and really affected all of our mental health," says Mendonça.

The professional experiences of school nurses working outside of urban areas are not often described. In The Journal of School Nursing (JOSN) article, School Nursing Workforce Differences Between Urban and Non-Urban Areas: Implications for School Health Services and Equity, survey findings underscore concerns about geographic differences in the school nursing workforce in terms of educational preparation and student access that could potentially limit the school nurse role in advancing child health equity.

Join us at 3:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, for the eighth meeting in the Meet the Editor web series. During this interactive meeting, The Journal of School Nursing Editor, Dr. Martha Dewey Bergren, will provide tips for authors and field comments and questions from aspiring authors. For this specific meeting, attendees will be able to list the types of manuscripts published from DNP projects, describe essential characteristics of a publishable DNP project, and identify projects that are not publishable. Register now.

Medicaid Funding for Schools

Donna Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN, CAE, executive director of NASN, details in a newly released op-ed how school nurses, administrators, and education officials can work with states to get federal funding for expanded health services students need. "The National Healthy Schools Collaborative’s Ten Year Roadmap for Healthy Schools prioritizes optimizing the ability of schools to bill Medicaid for school health services and, importantly, recognizes that when health and education officials fail to collaborate, it makes it very difficult to achieve this end."

NASN is a proud member of The National Healthy Schools Collaborative.

Kate King, NASN President-elect, and Matt Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, joined forces for a back-to-school media tour, completing 26 TV and radio interviews amplifying the need for the FDA to take action to ban flavored e-cigarettes. They called to stop the manufacturing and sale of these products amid a rising number of adolescents becoming addicted and talked about the dangers of youth vaping, offering tips for parents and caregivers to recognize e-cigarette use. See the two here on WXII 12 News, SC, and Spectrum News 1, OH. 

• 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.

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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.

• Should Medical Marijuana Be Allowed in Schools? (Source: edweek.org)
• The dangers of kids and vaping as students head back to school (Source: local21news.com)
• Indiana needs more school nurses, commission says (Source: cbs4indy.com)
• Back to school: Nurses, counselors prepare for students’ mental health challenges (Source: njspotlightnews.org)
• Monkeypox Risk is Low as Students Return to School, CDC Says (Source: nea.org)
• Monkeypox is rare in children, but K-12 schools are preparing for possible cases (Source: cnn.com)
• A whole career of Band-Aids, peppermints (Source: lufkindailynews.com)
• Need to invest in school nurses, counselors greater now than ever (Source: talkbusiness.net)
• 5 best practices as schools brace for monkeypox (Source: k12dive.com)

Course: ME/CFS: School Nurses Can Improve Outcomes

Scientists estimate that up to 2 in 1,000 children suffer from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). There is no diagnostic test for ME/CFS, and diagnosis relies on identifying symptoms that occur with sufficient frequency and severity to meet a pediatric case definition. ME/CFS is a long-standing stigmatized disease that contributes to the majority of cases being undiagnosed. Thus, school nurses with knowledge of ME/CFS are in a position to improve outcomes for students. In this NASN learning center activity, experts in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS provide a panel discussion about ME/CFS and provide school nurses with the knowledge and tools to help recognize ME/CFS in the student population. Resources to share with families, students, administrators, and staff members are also provided. Learn more and complete the course.

• Here you'll find CDC Resources for ME/CFS in children.

Blog: Evidence for Symptom-Based Medication Adjustment for Mild Persistent Asthma

"NASN wants to call attention to an evidence update for Treating Mild Persistent Asthma in Children that could be added to your toolbox when supporting students and their families with decision-making about effective asthma management – especially for African-American students who carry a disproportionate burden of morbidity and mortality from asthma," writes Nichole Bobo, MSN, RN, NASN Director of Nursing Education, in a recent blog post.

"School nurses are trusted healthcare professionals in the community. Integrating research findings into practice exemplifies the Standards of Professional Performance - Scholarship Inquiry - for school nurses."

Join AIM’s September webinar – Translating Vaccine Confidence Research into Practice, part of their Vaccine Confidence series, on September 6 from 1-2 p.m. ET. The webinar will feature three evidence-based models to help school nurses, healthcare providers, pharmacists, and community partners increase vaccine confidence in their communities. Register here.

On August 22, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, signed a decision memo that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine be used as another primary series option for adolescents ages 12-17. In July, the FDA authorized Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine. The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is an important tool in the pandemic that provides a more familiar type of COVID-19 vaccine technology for adolescents. Having multiple types of vaccines offers more options and flexibility for the public, jurisdictions, and vaccine providers. Here are some helpful Novavax resources:  

• Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted 
• Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine      
• Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers 

On August 11, the CDC updated the Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning highlighting the prevention principles to minimize the individual and societal impacts of COVID-19. Additionally, the CDC has published guidance on Ventilation in Schools and Childcare Programs including an Interactive School Ventilation Tool that shows how particle levels change as you adjust ventilation settings. 

The National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing invites you to join the second series of Project ECHO® on Racism in Nursing. ECHO^®: Addressing Racism in Nursing is a free tele-mentoring series that connects nurses with racism-prevention subject matter experts using brief lectures, discussions, and case-based presentations. Sessions will take place every other Wednesday from 3-4:30 p.m. ET, starting September 7. Register here. 

On August 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education published the Back-to-School Checklist for Parents, which explains how the Federal American Rescue Plan funds can be used by school districts to support student academic success. A few areas include mental health services, health and safety, teacher shortage, and even COVID-19 testing in schools.

This toolkit is full of activities and resources to help families feel well, live well, and learn well during this busy transitional season. Let’s take on a new school year together — one healthy day at a time, addressing healthy snacks, activities, sleep, and more. 

CDC recently published a Frequently Asked Questions resource concerning monkeypox for schools and other congregate settings serving children and adolescents. Learn more and view the FAQs.

The School Health Profiles (Profiles) is a system of surveys conducted biannually since 1996 in states, large urban school districts, and territories. Profiles measures progress in the implementation of school policies and practices to help improve the health of school-aged youth. View 2020 Profiles results. 

Available in English and Spanish, the Clean Hands and Spaces training program will equip educational communities with the knowledge and skills to encourage good hygiene practices. This bilingual training to make your educational environment healthier and safe consists of four modules.

• NASN Resources: Cleaning hands regularly is a key preventive action to avoid exposure to infectious diseases. The role of the school nurse is to inform school administrators, staff, and students on the impact of and understanding the importance of implementing good hand hygiene practices in helping to ensure health and safety in the school community. See NASN's video on handwashing.

Every year, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and other mental health organizations and individuals across the U.S. and around the world raise awareness of suicide prevention during September. The 988 Lifeline, now active across the United States, is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Learn more.

• NASN Resources: NASN has several resources available to help school nurses talk with students and families. The pandemic has been a source of stress, anxiety, and grief for many students, staff, and families. NASN has resources on Social and Emotional Health in our COVID-19 Reference Guide.

September is National Sexual Health Awareness Month. Schools offer valuable opportunities for improving adolescent health. NASN's Sexual Health Toolkit, produced with support from the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health, is designed for schools and school nurses interested in promoting efforts to reduce HIV, other STDs, unintended pregnancy, and reduce behaviors that contribute to health risks among adolescents. The toolkit provides a range of resources, including publications, webinars, factsheets, and program implementation guides.

• 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 and Register

• 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

• Annual North Carolina School Nurse Conference - School Health: A Time to Reflect, Celebrate, and Refocus - December 8-9, 2022 - Learn more

• Overseas School Health Nurse Association Spring Conference 2023 - March 26-27, 2023 - Learn more and Pre-register