Although the majority (61 percent) of registered nurses works in hospitals, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hospitals are not the only place nurses can have a huge impact. A recent blog from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation outlines how important school nurses are to the health of a community.
The blog was authored by Susan B. Hassmiller, PhD, RN, the RWJF senior adviser for nursing and the director of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an effort that aims to implement the recommendations outlined in the Institute of Medicine's "Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health" report.
Dr. Hassmiller recently met with officials from the National Association of School Nurses to visit Mt. Pleasant High School, a large school with a school nurse and a school-based health center in Wilmington, Del.
"What I saw amazed me. Melissa Kunz, the school nurse at Mt. Pleasant, displayed equal parts competency and compassion in addressing the students' many needs, from the complicated to the routine… Kunz not only knew what the students needed, but understood that their family situations and where they lived affected their health," wrote Dr. Hassmiller.
The experience showed Dr. Hassmiller that the expertise required for school nursing is similar to what is needed in intensive care units and emergency rooms, the environment in which they provide care is just different.
"School nurses need to be ready at a moment's notice for whatever may walk through the door and make accurate assessments for conditions that may not be readily apparent… The big difference between ICU and ER nurses and school nurses is that school nurses find the time in their busy days to promote prevention and wellness," wrote Dr. Hassmiller.
According Dr. Hassmiller, school nurses are uniquely positioned to:
1. Address kids' unmet health needs, allowing them to focus on learning
2. Promote healthy behaviors and improve the health status of children and teenagers
3. Connect children and families with community agencies to meet their physical and mental health needs
4. Advocate for local policy changes to improve health
Despite the good school nurses do, CDC data shows 15 percent of elementary schools and 22 percent of middle schools and high schools do not have a part-time or full-time nurse.
"Students and communities miss out when their schools do not have a nurse," wrote Dr. Hassmiller.
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