September 29, 2022

The CDC collaborated with NASN and the National Association of State School Nurse Consultants to survey school nurses in the U.S. The survey found that 45% of school nurses reported symptoms of at least one adverse mental health condition in the two weeks prior to completing the survey in March 2022. 

"It is time that we address the mental health and wellness of the school nurses who have so valiantly cared for our nation's school children and staff," NASN Executive Director Donna Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN, CAE says.

See highlights from the survey and the printer-friendly infographic here.

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NASN is pleased to present the Building Family Confidence in the COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit - Framing Strategies for School Nurses as part of the Champions for School Health project, offering evidence-based tips and techniques to support more productive conversations and communications about getting children vaccinated. The resources can equip you to build the confidence of families who have not yet vaccinated their children against COVID-19.

In the new NASN School Nurse Chat three-part series on OTC Medicine Safety, NASN Executive Director Donna Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN, CAE, discusses OTC medication administration and safety in schools and safe storage, carry, and disposal practices with a group of experts. 

See NASN's School Nursing Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guideline: Medication Administration in Schools and the Medication Administration in Schools Implementation Toolkit.

The pandemic created significant stresses and negative emotions among school nurses. The Journal of School Nursing article, Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on School Nurses’ Resiliency and Ability to Cope: A Mixed Methods Study in the State of Hawaii, examined school nurses’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic related to role change, psychological feelings, and coping/resiliency in the State of Hawaii.

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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.

• Salud Talks Episode 41: Why Are Nurses the Key to Infection Control? (Source: salud-america.org)
• School Nurses Give Yearly Update In Jackson (Source: jerseyshoreonline.com)
• ECFC nurse a finalist for state award (Source: whig.com)
• Rochester Public Schools raises pay for paraprofessionals and nurses (Source: postbulletin.com)
• OSZ Influencer of the Week: Latchmi Kisto, Maxey Elementary School (Source: orangeobserver.com)
• County school nurses to get Shock Trauma 'Stop the Bleed' training (Source: wbal.com)
• How Fort Worth area schools caused 911 calls for asthma attacks to plummet (Source: crosscut.com)

New NASN Blog: Communicate You Care

"At the center of the NASN Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™ is the student - surrounded by the family and school community. This visual has a message for you when supporting the student with mild persistent asthma: advocating for student-centered care means engaging and educating the family," writes Nichole Bobo, MSN, RN, NASN Director of Nursing Education, in a recent blog post.

"A PCORI-funded (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) study of children and teens with mild persistent asthma found that using the control inhaler as needed worked the same as daily use in improving asthma control, the number of asthma flares, how well the lungs work, and quality of life. Do you know if your students with mild persistent asthma and their families know about this new evidence-based approach to care? Knowing what you know about your students, based on your ongoing holistic nursing assessment of these students, would this evidence-based option to asthma management be a better approach for controlling asthma symptoms?"

Using the WSCC Model to Implement Wellness Policies and Sustain Chronic Health Condition Management in Schools

School nurse involvement with school wellness policies is critical to ensure the overall health and well-being of students are addressed – beyond nutrition and physical activity. The ‘gold standard’ model school wellness policy developed by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation was updated in June 2020. This course offers information on the updated model wellness policy that now includes recommended language to address all 10 components of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model and the (2020) NASN supplemental language to address chronic health condition management – positioning the school nurse to be able to fully participate when schools review and refresh current school wellness policies. Learn more and complete the course.

• See also Managing Chronic Health Conditions in Schools: Model School Wellness Policy Supplement providing additional supplemental language that can be included in Local School Wellness Policies to address the management of chronic health conditions in schools. The supplemental language, developed through the alignment of the NASN's Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™, addresses components of the WSCC model as they relate to students with chronic health conditions.

School nurses are sensitive to the plight of families, especially concerning the effects of health inequities and disparities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is now taking more steps to address inequities in the treatment of COVID-19. HHS is making 60,000 doses of the monoclonal antibody treatment bebtelovimab available to uninsured or underinsured families, with many more becoming available later this year. Learn more.

The CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations. You can help families or students check if they are up to date here and find out if and when they can get a booster. People can visit vaccines.gov (English) or vacunas.gov (Spanish) to search for vaccines nearby.

View the CDC's 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.

The FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products launched the Vaping Prevention and Education Resource Center, a robust collection of science-based, standards-mapped classroom resources aiming to prevent vaping among middle and high school students. These cross-curricular vaping prevention resources include lesson plans, activities, infographics, and videos that help teens learn about the dangers of e-cigarette use.

• NASN Resources: See NASN's Vanquishing Vaping Toolkit and Vaping the Next Chapter - Utilizing Effective Tools and Resources to Combat E-cigarettes in Your School! in the NASN learning center.

September is Sepsis Awareness Month! CDC's Get Ahead of Sepsis national educational effort emphasizes the importance of early recognition, timely treatment, reassessment of antibiotic needs, and prevention of infections. CDC encourages school nurses to share Get Ahead of Sepsis resources, including steps to reduce the risk of sepsis and healthcare professional education materials to help protect their students, families, and communities.

The 2023 Preparedness Summit, "Recover. Renew: Reprioritizing All-Hazards Preparedness", is now accepting abstracts. The summit will provide an opportunity to revisit pressing issues in preparedness and share resources, shape policies, and build skills to mitigate threats. Public health and healthcare professionals are invited to submit an abstract for the event to bring your experiences to the forefront. The submission deadline is October 24.

When hurricanes and other tropical storms end, the dangers continue. Stay safe after a storm by following these CDC safety tips. During and after a disaster, it is natural to experience different and strong emotions. Take care of yourself and each other, and know when and how to seek help. See the CDC resources on Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event, which include resources and information on helping children and teens cope.

The 2023 ANA Innovation Awards recognize and highlight the innovative work happening across the nursing profession. Awards will be presented to a nurse and a nurse-led team whose product, program, project, or practice best exemplifies nurse-led innovation in patient safety and/or outcomes. Submit your application by November 4, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. ET. 

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month. Hispanics or Latinos are the largest racial/ethnic minority population in the U.S. Health disparities continue to severely impact our nation’s health. Learn about health initiatives important for Hispanic health from the CDC.

See NASN's resources on cultural responsiveness and equity.

According to the CDC, Hispanics are more likely to develop chronic health conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. The threat of COVID-19 has increased health risks for people with these underlying conditions. During this observance month, let's bring attention to the importance of COVID-19 vaccination and help promote vaccine equity. See CDC's COVID-19 vaccine equity for racial and ethnic minority groups resources.

Visit the American Academy of Pediatrics Spina Bifida page to view and download infographics (in both English and Spanish) serving to reinforce the value added to having a care coordination team to support youth and young adults with spina bifida as they transition from pediatric to adult-focused healthcare. 

• 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

• 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 - Learn more and Register

• Colorado Association of School Nurses Fall Conference - Supporting Student Success: School Nurses Make a Difference - November 4-6 -  Learn more and Register

• Virginia Association of School Nurses Fall Conference - 36th Annual Fall Conference - November 5-6 -  Learn more and Register

• West Virginia Association of School Nurses Annual Fall Conference - Back to Basics - November 10-12 - Learn more and Register

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

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