A school health nurse is a medical professional who provides health care to students in need while working in a school setting. Because children spend the majority of their day at school, it is critical to have medical assistance available at all times. The nurse may work in either a private or public school, such as an elementary, middle, or high school. He or she could also work in preschools or even colleges, caring for children and teenagers. A person must graduate from high school, complete a nursing program, and obtain a license to practice nursing in his or her region in order to become a school health nurse.
A school health nurse’s responsibilities are varied. When a student becomes ill at school, he or she is frequently referred to the school nurse. The nurse will usually start by asking the student questions to get a sense of how well the child is doing. Following the interview, the nurse may take the child’s temperature and blood pressure to determine his or her vital signs. Based on the nurse’s findings, the child’s parent may be contacted and the child may be taken home or to a doctor for treatment.
A school health nurse’s other responsibility is to assess injuries. Following an injury, the student will usually be taken to the school nurse, who will assess the severity of the injury and determine the appropriate treatment. School-aged children are prone to minor cuts and scrapes, and a nurse may spend a significant amount of time sterilizing cuts and applying bandages. If a student is seriously injured at school, the nurse will usually seek treatment from a third party. This will usually start with notifying the parents, who may take their child to the doctor or the emergency room, though in an emergency, the nurse may call for an ambulance to transport the student or person in need.
Colds and flu can be common among school-aged children during certain seasons throughout the year. These illnesses cause children to miss a lot of school days. During these times, a school health nurse may be extremely busy caring for sick students. The nurse can help children by comforting them, giving them water or liquids as needed, and taking their temperature to make sure it stays within normal limits. If a school nurse believes a child is too sick to be around other students, she may be able to inform parents that their children should be kept at home.
Because some students are on prescription medications, the school health nurse may also be responsible for dispensing medications. The medicines may be given by the nurse or by the child’s parent as directed by a prescription. In some cases, the child may need to see the nurse for medicine once or several times throughout the day. The school nurse may be responsible for administering insulin to children with certain diseases, such as diabetes. In addition to administering medications, the nurse may also treat allergic reactions to medications administered at school or at home earlier.