School nursing
Encyclopedia
School nursing is a specialized practice of professional nursing
that advances the well being, academic success, and lifelong achievement of student
s. To that end, school nurses try to facilitate positive student responses to normal human development
; promote health
and safety
in the school environment; intervene with actual and potential health problems
; provide case management
services; and actively collaborate with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self-management
, self-advocacy
, and learning
.
at the NASN Board of Directors meeting in 1999 .
According to the American Federation of Teachers
, there are approximately 45,000 school nurses employed in the United States. School nurses are often the only health professional serving students in an educational setting.
.
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
that advances the well being, academic success, and lifelong achievement of student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s. To that end, school nurses try to facilitate positive student responses to normal human development
Human development (biology)
Human development is the process of growing to maturity. In biological terms, this entails growth from a one-celled zygote to an adult human being.- Biological development:...
; promote health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
and safety
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
in the school environment; intervene with actual and potential health problems
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
; provide case management
Medical case management
Medical case management is a collaborative process that facilitates recommended treatment plans to assure the appropriate medical care is provided to disabled, ill or injured individuals....
services; and actively collaborate with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self-management
Self-management
Self-management means different things in different fields:* In business, education, and psychology, self-management refers to methods, skills, and strategies by which individuals can effectively direct their own activities toward the achievement of objectives, and includes goal setting, decision...
, self-advocacy
Self-advocacy
Self-advocacy refers to the civil rights movement for people with developmental disabilities, also called cognitive or intellectual disabilities, and other disabilities. It is also an important term in the disability rights movement, referring to people with disabilities taking control of their own...
, and learning
Learning
Learning is acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves.Human learning...
.
United States
The above definition was adopted in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the NASN Board of Directors meeting in 1999 .
According to the American Federation of Teachers
American Federation of Teachers
The American Federation of Teachers is an American labor union founded in 1916 that represents teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; local, state and federal employees; higher education faculty and staff, and nurses and other healthcare professionals...
, there are approximately 45,000 school nurses employed in the United States. School nurses are often the only health professional serving students in an educational setting.
United Kingdom
In the UK, nurses undertake additional training as Specialist Community Public Health Practitioners to become qualified Registered School Nurses and are regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNursing and Midwifery Council
Established in 2002, the Nursing and Midwifery Council is a statutory body set up by the Parliament of the United Kingdom through the . The NMC is the UK regulator for nursing and midwifery professions with a stated aim to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the public...
.