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Why School Nurse Training is Important
As reports of nurse burnout increase across the country, some healthcare professionals are looking for positions that could reduce their work-related stress like school nurse jobs. A school nurse and a nurse working in the healthcare setting share many similarities in providing care, but their duties can differ. As a result, school nurse training is vital to give these professionals the tools necessary to provide the best care for their students. In this blog we are examining the training that is required for a school nurse and how it can help them succeed in their role.
Job Duties of a School Nurse
One of the biggest reasons that training is so important is because school nurse duties differ from that of a healthcare nurse. Being properly trained, can help school nurses successfully provide students and staff with a variety of services, including:
- Health Screenings: School nurses can screen students for a variety of health conditions, such as vision, hearing, and scoliosis.
- Immunizations: Generally school nurses track whether students are up to date on their immunizations.
- First Aid: School nurses are trained to provide first aid to students who are injured or ill.
- Health Education: Nurses in the school setting also can provide health education to students, staff, and parents about a variety of topics, such as nutrition, hygiene, and bullying prevention.
- Case Management: School nurses will often collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to help students and families develop and implement a plan to manage a student’s chronic health condition.
- Mental Health: School nurses can provide mental health services to students, such as counseling and crisis intervention.
Additional school nurse duties can include diabetic care management, medication administration, seizure management, emergency medications, G-tube feedings/care, and health assessments.
These duties contrast to that of nurse in the healthcare setting, who typically offer a wider range of services including medication administration, IV therapy, wound care, respiratory therapy, and critical care. Nurses also can work in administrative or research roles.
What School Nurse Training Is Needed
Providing training helps school nurses develop the skills and knowledge they need to provide high-quality care to students. It also helps them to stay up-to-date and adapt to the latest health trends and best practices as the needs of a student or school change. The areas that a school nurse would need to be trained in include:
- Health Assessment: Training in health assessment can help school nurses gauge a student’s health status and identify any potential health problems.
- Case Management: School nurses need to be adequately trained in case management so that they can create and implement plans to help students manage chronic health conditions.
- Health Education: School nurses need to be able to provide health education to students, staff, and parents.
- Mental Health: Mental health training gives school nurses tools to assess and intervene when a student is having a mental health related issue.
- First Aid: School nurses need to be trained in first aid and CPR.
In addition, a school nurse may be required to get a state specific certification and a national certification from the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) or the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN).
While the training for a school nurse may differ from that of a nurse in the healthcare setting, both roles require nurses to be skilled, compassionate, and dedicated to delivering quality care.
Benefits of Training for School Nurses
Ensuring school nurses get the proper training is an important investment made by schools in the health and well-being of their students. It helps school nurses develop the skills and knowledge they need to give students the best possible care, even when their needs change. Some of the benefits of training school nurses include:
- Improved Student Health: Training can help school nurses to identify and address health problems early on, which can help to improve student health and academic achievement.
- Reduced Absenteeism: With proper training, school nurses can help school nurses to prevent students from missing school due to illness or injury.
- Increased Safety: School nurses can use their training to create a safe and healthy environment for students and staff.
- Improved Communication: Training can also help school nurses communicate effectively with students, staff, parents, and other health care providers.
- Increased Job Satisfaction: With the help of adequate training, school nurses can feel more confident and competent in their role helping them feel more satisfied at work.
How Amergis Can Help With School Nurse Training
Amergis Staffing offers resources for school nurse training, so that they can provide the best care possible to their students. We have a dedicated Registered Nurse School Support Specialist team that provides a School Nurse Virtual Orientation training and support for all nurses who are pursuing a job in the educational services field.
“Our trainings give nurses a broad but thorough overview of school nursing, with an emphasis on most of the medical conditions that nurses see in the schools,” says Amergis Staffing Schools Support Specialist Chelsea Johnson. The topics covered in our trainings include job expectations, classifications of a school nurse, student safety, health assessments, universal precautions, medication management, and documentation.
“[Amergis] finds value in preparing their nurses to be successful in the field, while also educating them on their support partners,” adds Johnson. “When a nurse has been through [Amergis’] virtual orientation, nurses will feel prepared and best serve our clients and most importantly our students. “
Are you looking for support in finding school nurse opportunities? Connect with Amergis Staffing to learn how we can help.
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