School Nurses: What a Difference Just One Can Make

Today is National School Nurse Day. School nurses provide a link for all school children to available health resources and, in many cases, offer much-needed basic health care and screenings.

Yet despite their valuable contributions, there continues to be a long-standing nursing shortage in most school districts in California. Statewide, there were 2,155 students for every school nurse during the 2008-09 school year. Many school districts must share a single nurse with several other districts.

The decision not to fund school nurses has a significant impact on all children, but particularly on children with special health care needs. Many students now come to school requiring daily care, such as insulin injections, asthma medication, or care for medical equipment. Frequently, no school staff member has the skills to provide this care. Yet, the state’s current economic climate could mean even fewer nurses at school.

One encouraging sign is proposed federal legislation, sponsored by  Senator Charles Schumer and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, that aims to make grants to states for the purpose of reducing the student-to-nurse ratio in high schools, elementary schools, and kindergartens.

On a more local level, our Foundation, along with Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, made a 5-year grant in 2007 to the San Jose Unified School District with the goal of increasing the number of school nurses available to the children in schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families. Early evaluation results from this grant, which added four nurses in the district, already have shown improved outcomes for children with hearing, vision, asthma, or dental problems, due to the availability of a school nurse. Since the implementation of this grant, more than 70% of teachers surveyed have said that school nurses helps them teach more effectively.

We will continue to report on the results of this effort to restore nursing to our schools. What is happening in your district?

Tags: Child Health Initiatives

Posted by Jordan Handcox

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 at 12:11 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.