Rural and minority populations often experience disparities in health care, which can include access to timely and affordable school sports physicals. The NASN School Nurse article, Collaboration to Meet the Need for Sports Physicals in Diverse, Low-Income Children in a Rural Community, shares the results of a College of Nursing and school nurse collaboration to initiate an innovative free sports/school physicals program.

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Together, School Nurses Are Stronger: This new NASN membership tool communicates the value of a professional organization membership. Not a member? View to learn more about the benefits of NASN membership. Already a member? Learn more about your benefits and/or share with your fellow school nurses to help them Stay Current, Support Connections, and find Strength in Community.

It is available in two formats:

1. Digital Membership Tool
2. Printable Membership Tool

Election campaigns are in full swing! President-Elect candidates Gloria Barrera, Lynn Nelson, and Patricia Endsley have recorded their outlook for the organization and school nursing in short videos. Please take a moment to hear what these candidates have to say. NASN members will vote from March 15th to April 15th.

There is a need to begin recruitment into the nursing profession at an early age. Don't miss the NASN School Nurse January Podcast. Cynthia Galemore, NASN School Nurse Editor, interviews authors Alexandra Randolph, Beth Mattey, and Richele Lawson about the article "Moving Upstream to Address Health Inequity: A Middle School Program to Introduce Students to a Career in Nursing." Listen here.

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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.

• New Rochelle High School nurse saves student with Narcan (Source: cbsnews.com)
• Reeder named regional Nurse of the Year (Source: djournal.com)
• ER nurse went into cardiac arrest at daughter's school (Source: heart.org)
• West Valley school nurse shares tips for families dealing with cold and flu season (Source: yakimaherald.com)
• Angela’s House resident teams up with her school nurse to publish children’s book (Source: greaterlongisland.com)
• Corry school nurses urge caution amid rise in illness (Source: thecorryjournal.com)

School Nurse Access to Medical Records

Results from a study evaluating school nurse access to a hospital-based electronic health record (EHR) determined the impact of school nurse access to protected health information in an EHR on school nurse satisfaction with care coordination for children in schools with chronic medical conditions. In the course, Access to Medical Records in an Electronic Health Record, learn about barriers to communication and care coordination between hospitals and school nurses, ways school nurses can develop partnerships with hospitals through EHRs, and the benefits of allowing school nurses access to hospital-based EHRs. This research session was initially presented at Virtual NASN2021 and is now available in the NASN Learning Center.

• See also the Improving Care Coordination for Students with Chronic Health Conditions Toolkit to support the school nurse's role in leading care coordination for students with chronic health conditions.

The CDC released a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showing vaccination coverage among kindergarten students remains below pre-pandemic levels. During the 2021–22 school year, coverage decreased to approximately 93%, although the exemption rate remained low. "Rigorously enforced school vaccination requirements, school-based vaccination clinics, reminder and recall systems, and follow-up with undervaccinated students by school nurses are effective strategies to improve vaccination coverage." Learn more about report findings and recommendations to help protect students from vaccine-preventable diseases.

• Find School Located Vaccination resources from NASN and partners here.
• Check out the NASN Learning Center course Vaccine Hesitancy and the School Nurse's Role to Alleviate Parent's Concerns.
• Access free flyers, photographs and videos, surveys, and general resources, shared by Champions for School Health project grantees for information and inspiration to encourage vaccination in your school communities.

Dougy Center: The National Grief Center for Children & Families has announced that grief support resources for people grieving after a death from COVID-19 are now available. Over 40 new grief support resources, compiled as a toolkit and geared specifically toward frontline healthcare workers and emergency first responders, can be accessed here.

Schools play a critical role in supporting young people. When students believe adults in their school care about them, they’re more likely to thrive. CDC shares how schools can foster connection.

The second webinar of the series, Engaging Families in Preventing and Addressing Human Trafficking, is on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET. During this webinar, experts will offer approaches for school personnel to work with families to build protective factors in children to lessen the risk of victimization and methods to support victimized students.

• California School Nurses Organization: 73rd CSNO Conference - Moving Forward REJUVENATED AND RESILIENT - February 17-19, 2023 - Learn more and Register

• Maryland Association of School Health Nurses Annual Conference - School Nurse-Navigators "Remember the Past, Navigate the Present, and Prepare for the Future" - March 4, 2023 - Learn more and Register

• Vermont State School Nurses Association Spring Conference - March 24 - Learn More

• Missouri Association of School Nurses Spring Conference - School Nurses Planting a Lifetime of Health - March 25-26, 2023 - Learn more and Register

• New Jersey State School Nurses Association Spring 2023 Conference - Reimagining School Nursing - March 25, 2023 - Learn more and Register

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

NASN Calendar of Events

This calendar includes upcoming events hosted by NASN and NASN affiliate school nurse organizations. Access the calendar.

National Health Observances Calendar

This calendar lists special days, weeks, or months dedicated to raising awareness about important health topics. Access the 2023 calendar. 

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