NURSE'S ROLE
The school nurse has a central management role in implementing school health services programs for all children, adolescents, staff, and parents in the school.
School nursing is a specialized practice of nursing within community health that advances the well being, academic success and life-long achievement of students.
The school nurse's role is to facilitate
positive responses to normal development, promote health and safety,
intervene with actual and potential health problems and provide
case management services.
Another major role the school nurse is involved in is to provide
acute, chronic, episodic, and emergency health care to students
and staff. In addition, the school nurse provides health education
in the classroom and in the nurse's office. The nurse is a health
counselor and advocate who also functions as a member, and often
the coordinator, of the school health services team. The team
may include a school psychologist, special education services,
school counselor, health aide, clerical staff, and the principal.
This health service team includes children with special health
needs as regulated by the American Disabilities Act. As a leader
of the school health team, the nurse assesses and identifies students'
health status and prepares health care plans to ensure optimal
health, safety and education.