Definition of School Nursing
School nursing, a specialized practice of nursing, protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. School nurses, grounded in ethical and evidence-based practice, are the leaders who bridge health care and education, provide care coordination, advocate for quality student-centered care, and collaborate to design systems that allow individuals and communities to develop their full potential. Adopted by the National Association of School Nurses Board of Directors February 2017.
Overview of School Health Services
The Haverhill Public Schools are staffed with registered professional school nurses who are also licensed as educators by the Department of Education. Health Services is supported by several Licensed Practical nurses and Health Assistants. School nurses have a multi-faceted role within the school setting, one that supports the physical, mental, emotional, and social health of students and their success in the learning process. It is the responsibility of school nurses to provide safe, effective, and timely care for all students.
The school nurses are present in your child’s school to be a liaison between home and school and to serve as a health resource for you and your child. The nurses are available to all students for consultation and support including those with developmental, social, emotional, and health care needs. School nurses are a constant figure in your child’s school life, and are continually planning, implementing, evaluating and advocating for the well being of all students. As key members of the educational team, nurses communicate and collaborate with school staff and frequently attend IEP, 504, and other meetings when appropriate. They perform yearly screening services, such as assessments for vision, hearing and scoliosis, and refer to specialists for follow-up as appropriate.
School nurses recognize that the school environment largely reflects the health of the greater community as a whole. They monitor and track trends in illness in the individual schools and inform parents of outbreaks of communicable diseases. The majority of students who visit the nurse’s office with an illness or injury complaint return to the classroom to continue their studies after assessment and treatment
