School nurses have grown into key campus positions that provide a safe environment for all students, especially those with special needs. Millersville University’s online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – School Nursing program equips professionals interested in this rewarding career path with both the knowledge of advanced psychology and the practical nursing expertise necessary to accommodate the needs of all students.
As the National Association of School Nurses states: “School nurses address a wide range of challenges by ensuring students are healthy, safe and ready to learn. They provide direct care, manage chronic conditions, promote mental health and coordinate with families and community resources to break down barriers to healthcare access.” These services are crucial for ensuring student success, and school nurses are uniquely suited to provide them.
Through courses like School Nursing: Considerations for the Needs of Diverse Learners and English Language Learners, MSN School Nursing students learn to accommodate diverse learners, enabling them to succeed. Such expertise enables school nurses to positively impact student well-being across their learning journey.
The Evolving Role of School Nurses
In the United States, the school nurse originated in the early twentieth century and has undergone significant evolution since then. According to an article on the role of school nurses published in the journal JAMA Health Forum, school nursing in the U.S. began in 1902 when Lillian Wald, founder of the Henry Street Settlement, appointed Nurse Lina Rogers to address contagious diseases and promote hygiene among students on New York City’s Lower East Side. Unlike today’s nurses who address the multifaceted health needs of students, the earliest school health professionals focused specifically on stopping the spread of contagious diseases.
In an unexpected twist, however, Rogers’ work ultimately had a positive impact on student academic performance, resulting in a sharp drop in student absenteeism. This unintended result emphasized the crucial role school nurses can play in promoting student success and laid the groundwork for modern school nursing practice. “Today, more than 120 years later, the presence of a school nurse continues to demonstrate profound improvement in student absenteeism and other outcomes,” states the JAMA Health Forum article.
Boosting Academic Success Through Health Support and School Connectedness
Becoming a school nurse is a worthwhile goal for anyone who wants to make a positive impact on the lives of young people. But for those interested in this rewarding career path, it’s important to understand the concept of school connectedness — the extent to which students of all ages and backgrounds feel accepted, included and cared for in a learning environment. According to an article in the journal NASN School Nurse, a lack of school connectedness can be detrimental for students, leading to worse learning outcomes.
School nurses provide critical support for students with chronic health problems and mental health concerns and can serve as advocates for these young people within the broader school community. “Numerous factors, including individual, social, and environmental, influence students’ perceived sense of school connectedness,” the NASN article states. “School nurses are well positioned to establish and maintain school connectedness due to their knowledge, accessibility to students, and familiarity with the school environment.”
Collaboration With Educators and Families
Graduates of the Millersville online MSN – School Nursing program can positively impact society in a variety of ways. The School Nursing: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention course explores the central role school nurses play in promoting health in schools as well as the broader community. The Nursing Informatics and Healthcare Technology course teaches students how to use digital tools to support and enhance the delivery of care.
Through in-person practicums and a comprehensive capstone project, students develop advanced competencies so they can successfully manage schoolwide health programs and improve student learning. With its focus on positively impacting communities every day, few career paths have the potential to be more rewarding than that of a school nurse.
Learn more about Millersville University’s online MSN – School Nursing program.
