The National Association of School Nurses defines school nursing as:
“A specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well-being, academic success, and lifelong achievement of students. To that end, school nurses facilitate positive student responses to normal development; promote health and safety; intervene with actual and potential health problems; provide case management services; and actively collaborate with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self management, self advocacy, and learning.”
The Ann Arbor Public School Nurses endorse the following beliefs developed by the American School Health Association and The National Association of School Nurses:
- Every child is entitled to educational opportunities that will allow him/her to reach full capacity as an individual and prepare him/her for responsibility as a citizen.
- Every child is entitled to a level of health which permits maximum utilization of educational opportunities.
- The school health program, through the components of health service, health education and concern for the environment, provides knowledge and understanding on which to base decisions for the promotion and protection of individual, family and community health.
- Parents have the basic responsibility for the health of their children; the school health program activities exist to assist parents in carrying out their responsibilities.
- The core roles that the school nurse fulfills to foster student health and educational success includes; providing direct care to students, providing leadership for the provision of health services, providing/coordinating screening and referral for health conditions, promoting a healthy school environment, promoting/providing health education, serving in leadership roles for health policies and programs, being a liaison between school personnel, family, health care professionals, and the community.
Goals of the Ann Arbor Public School Nurses:
- Reduce health-related barriers to learning and health related absenteeism thus improving student achievement
- Promote the health, safety, and wellness of all students and staff at Ann Arbor Public Schools
- Promote a positive, collaborative relationship with students, families, colleagues, and the community
- Promote best practices in school health services through professional development and resources.
Services Provided by the Ann Arbor Public Schools Nurses - As the health services expert, the School Nurse serves as the health professional for the school community and provides the following services:
- Illness, injury assessments and interventions
- Identification, assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation of student health concerns
- Health assessments/participation in Individualized Education Plan development
- Pediatric nursing procedures
- Screening for health factors impacting student education
- Activities and education to promote health
- Health care counseling or guidance to students, their family, and to staff
- Chronic disease management and education
- Individualized Nursing Care Plans and services for students with disabilities and/or health conditions that interfere with learning Medication administration
- Assessment and interventions for students with mental health needs
- Crisis team participation
- Health curriculum recommendations
- Guidelines for school district health policies, goals and objectives
- School/community/health care provider liaison
- Immunization verification according to state guideline requirements.
- Medication management
