One day each year does not seem like enough time to celebrate school nurses, so don’t miss this chance – thank a school nurse today! School nurses support education by looking after individual student health needs, supporting families, and offering school-wide programs.
A school nurse’s primary purpose is to help students stay healthy and safe so they are ready to learn. School nurses make sure students know how to manage health conditions by taking medication or other treatments. Nurses also work hard with families struggling with poverty or serious health issues, connecting them to community resources such as health insurance, food pantries, language assistance programs, and transportation services, as well as offsite healthcare providers.
National School Nurses Day is May 8, 2019. This day was established in 1972 to recognize the value and accomplishments of school nurses. School nurses identify and support students with chronic health conditions, immunization compliance, mental health, first aid and sudden illness, emergency care, and more.
According to the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), school nurses benefit schools in several ways.
• Nurses improve attendance by promoting wellness and good hygiene.
• Nurses enable better academic performance by addressing individual health needs.
• Nurses address student health concerns, freeing up administrators and staff.
• Nurses improve the general health and well-being of staff.
• Nurses help school accountability by promoting compliance with federal and state laws.
Today, thank a nurse for helping our schools stay healthy!
