The Board of Health realized school nurses removed the health barriers that kept students out of school.  They did this in three ways.  They treated the problem.  They educated parents and students to prevent illness.  Finally, they took the steps necessary to keep all the students as safe as possible.

Over 100 years later, our goals remain the same, but the complexity of the students has increased dramatically.  March 27, 2009, was School Health Advocacy Day in Florida.  The Proclamation delivered on that day stated:

“It is recognized that the goal of school nursing is:
to remove the barriers to a student’s education,
to improve student safety and
to educate and empower students to live healthier lives.”

One of every five students in Florida has a chronic health condition that can impact his or her education. Health problems which are left untreated or improperly treated results in an inability to get to school for an education.  The school nurse, working with the student and his family, strives to remove the health barriers to a student’s education.

Mary Jackman, a school nurse at Vineland Elementary in Charlotte County, works with many students with chronic health problems.  “School nursing provides me with an opportunity to education children and families about chronic illnesses such as asthma. I can spend time to teach, reteach, give positive feedback and see progress in a child’s understanding of their health. I feel that I impact lives on a one-on-one basis. I am there when a child does not feel well. I am there to speak with a parent on a daily or occasional basis. I make a difference to the children that I care for. I am there for them. I am not nameless or faceless but a presence who has information about health and wellness.”

Education is a vital component of school nursing.  Whether one-on-one or in a group setting, school nurses work to empower students with the information they need to make healthy choices.  Some school nurses do a “Wellness Wednesday” on their in-school TV.  These 2-4 minute broadcasts teach students and staff valuable lessons on health, safety and nutrition and give exposure to the school nurse and her profession.

School nurses work within their schools to promote student safety, whether it is delivering safe care in the clinic to a student with a health problem or administering medications (over 20,000 meds are dispensed daily in Florida schools) or promoting safety throughout the school with food safety or playground safety.  It may also involve epidemiology after a bacterial meningitis outbreak, or preparing a school for a lockdown crisis situation.

Amy Barnes, a school nurse in Lee County and a FNA Clinical Excellence winner, describes her profession as “the hardest job I ever loved.”  She goes on to say, “Who would have thought that as a school nurse I would be involved with more emergency life saving interventions than I was in all my years as a hospital nurse.  I have often said that one day I would write a book entitled, I Couldn’t Make This Up if I Tried!”

On Wednesday, May 6, 2009, school nurses throughout the nation will celebrate National School Nurse Day. This year’s theme is “School Nurses: Meeting Needs of Today’s Students.”  Connie Blackwell of Collier County, Florida’s 2009 School Nurse of the Year, was asked by the Naples Daily News, What’s so special about being a school nurse?  Her answer, “I have learned by trial and error to see past the complaint and if needed care for the whole family.  I respect the saying that ‘every child can learn,’ but feel it would read better ‘every healthy child can learn.’  I have to say, I love what I do.”

Today, we are finding the role of the school nurse is even more valuable than it was 100 years ago.  At my high school, our vision is “To prepare every student for success.”  One of the stake holders intimately involved with student success is the school nurse.  Whether she is treating a cut, making a medical referral, counseling a student, helping a parent find a medical home, working on a nursing care plan, addressing a chronic health condition, doing health education or serving on a school’s Safety or Disaster Preparedness committee, she is actively working to promote student success, not just in school, but in life.

Kathy

Kathleen C. Rose, RN MHA NCSN
President, Florida Association of School Nurses
President@FASN.net

The Call for Nominations of Exemplary Practices in Childhood Obesity Prevention in Florida seeks to recognize and showcase promising approaches from health care and community organizations that promote healthy eating and physical activity, especially among low income, non-English speaking and minority communities.

Evaluation of programs is based upon the following criteria:

• Impact- demonstrates excellence in addressing immediate child, family or community needs
• Inclusion- includes a range of affected community members, including low income, non-English speaking and minority communities
• Improvability- demonstrates improvement in obesity prevention behaviors in targeted populations; successful early efforts; continuous improvement in services provided
• Implementation- demonstrates the program can be implemented and replicated;  provides networking with other service providers
• Innovation- Use of innovative and culturally appropriate programs based upon evidence based guidelines

All nominations are due by May 31, 2009.

Selected programs will be contacted by July 2009 and awarded with the Exemplary Practices in Childhood Obesity Prevention Award.

Download the submission form here.

Please submit your nominations through Checkbox.

For more details, check out the Summary of Project

Annual Conference brochures will not be mailed this year in order to be environmentally conscious and better manage resources. Click here to download the brochure to your computer and read through at your convenience.

Professional development is essential in a tough economy and having access to the latest practice, health promotion, leadership, research and legal issues can only be found at the National Association of School Nurses’ annual conference. Now more than ever, school nurses need to define and communicate their role as the critical link between health and learning.

Register today to join your colleagues in learning, networking and recharging!

Spend a day-and-a-half with leading asthma researchers—Dr. Herman Mitchell and Dr. Deidre Crocker—discussing effective environmental interventions in the home.

Home-based trigger reduction strategies are a central component of comprehensive asthma care. This year’s National Forum will feature the evidence-base on this important topic and equip participants to adopt proven home visit strategies.

Bring your questions and success stories and be part of this important conversation.

For complete Agenda and Registration information, visit www.epaasthmaforum.com.

For More Details, click here.

Many of us are going to Tallahassee and speaking with our legislators. We would love to have you join us!

To give everyone a jump start, the Agenda and Talking Points are downloadable here! Also attached is a response to the Governor’s proposal to use 70% of all education funds just in the classroom. It’s important to note the services, including school nursing, that would be limited or lost if it was implemented.

Agenda for March 27

Every Child Deserves A School Nurse

Governor’s 70% in the Classroom

Kathleen C. Rose, RN MHA NCSN
President, Florida Association of School Nurses

The candidates for NASN President-Elect:
Beth Mattey
Linda Davis-Aldritt

For complete details, check out the Legislative Updates page.

They came back to their districts and shared some of this knowledge with their colleagues. Check under Clinical Updates for the notes from many of the sessions. Many spent their own money to come to the conference. Some came back from the conference to learn their travel approval had been rescinded. Some were told at the last minute that their travel had been denied.

At a time when more and more families will be using the school nurse as their primary health provider, the opportunity for that nurse to increase her competency was denied. Our legislators are looking closely at the budget because state finances may be even worse next year. If they do not understand what we are doing, if they do not realize that school nurses actively work to keep students in school and engaged in learning, then legislators will see school nursing as a line item that can be cut. What Gov. Crist has proposed and what the final budget will actually be are not the same!

With that reality before us, our Legislative Chair, Mary Jackman, has been working with Dianne Mennitt and Laura Brazell to develop a School Nurse Advocacy Day in Tallahassee on March 27th. Called “March Into March,” we are asking as many school nurses as possible to make the trip to Tallahassee to educate our legislators about school nursing. For many of us, myself included, it will mean taking a personal day to do this, but the stakes are too high not to do it!

We need each of you to do join us on March 27th. Check out the Legislative Page for information on finding who your legislator is, how to contact them, talking points for a conversation, and places to stay. If you can go, it is important to email or call for an appointment to see your legislator ASAP. And if your legislator cannot meet with you, but their administrative aide can, go! Never underestimate the power of personal contact.

And if you cannot go with us? Write a letter, send an email, make a phone call. Make sure that our legislators, no matter what part of the state they represent, know that March 27th is School Nurse Advocacy Day! Help us to deliver an accurate picture of what school nurses do, day in and day out for the students of this state.

Kathy

Kathleen C. Rose, RN MHA NCSN
President, Florida Association of School Nurses
President@FASN.net

Connie has been the school nurse for nine years at Barron Collier High School in Naples, Florida. In addition to providing skilled nursing care to her 1,750 student population, Connie promotes health and wellness through the many classes that she has developed and instructed. Her associates describe her as “highly motivated with impeccable organizational skills, caring and compassionate, and extremely dedicated.”  As well as being employed by NCH Healthcare System, Connie is active the U.S.A.F. Individual Ready Reserve Nurse Corp.

Connie received her Bachelor of Science in Degree in Nursing in 1988 from the University Of North Dakota and is a Nationally Certified School Nurse.  Her professional objective is to become an Advance Registered Nurse Practitioner, using her school nursing skills to continue in her passion for child advocacy.

Her many honors and accolades include:

• Collier County Public School Galaxy of the Stars Award
• FNA 2007 Nurses of Excellence Award
• U.S.A.F. Meritorious Service Medal, Commendation Medal, Achievement Medal, and Longevity Service Award.
• NCH Nomination for School Nurse of the Year

Connie personifies excellence in school nursing through her dedication and commitment to her students, staff, and co-workers.  FASN is honored to have Christian (Connie) Blackwell as 2009 “School Nurse of the Year.”