The Role of a School Nurse

School nurses play a big part in keeping kids healthy and safe while at school. Your school nurse can be a helpful advocate and resource, especially if your child has complex medical needs or a chronic health problem. 

The most common chronic health problems among Utah students are:

• Mental health conditions*
• Asthma
• Severe allergies (that cause anaphylaxis)
• Seizures
• Diabetes (type I and type II)

School nurses are specially trained to help students with these types of chronic health problems. They also have expertise in pediatric, public health, and mental health nursing; education; and child health laws. 

School nurses do many things:

• Administer and track medications students need while at school.
• Help parents fill out required forms if their child needs medicine or has other health needs while at school. 
• Conduct health screenings (vision, hearing, oral health, scoliosis, and height and weight).
• Provide health education to students and families (on topics such as maturation and hand washing).
• Take care of injuries or illnesses that happen at school.
• Coordinate care and train school staff and teachers on how to help students who have chronic or medically complex health problems or if there’s a health emergency while at school. 

Students must have the right forms signed by their parents and healthcare provider if they need medication while at school, need medical care or supervision, or are at risk for certain health emergencies (like anaphylaxis). 

• These forms are required by Utah law and allow students to carry and self-administer medications such as albuterol for asthma or insulin for diabetes. 
• These forms also tell school staff what to do in case your child has a health emergency. 
• Your school nurse can help answer questions about what forms your child may need. 
• Remember, it’s best to get these forms filled out and signed before school starts so your child is ready to start the school year as healthy as possible. 

School nurses help keep kids healthy, safe, and learning in the classroom! Learn more about school nurses and find required medication and emergency action plan forms here. You can also call your child’s school or the school district to learn more. 

*Mental health conditions diagnosed by a doctor and reported to Utah schools included: ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety,  oppositional-defiant disorder, mood disorders, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, dissociative identity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, separation anxiety disorder, socialphobia, Tourette’s disorder, eating disorders, and others.

Links to websites or resources

Utah School Nursing website: https://heal.utah.gov/schools/school-nursing/ 

This website provides links to forms that will allow students to have different types of medication at school, such as albuterol for asthma or insulin for diabetes. These forms are required by law to be filled out by a parent and the student’s healthcare provider if a student needs to have medication for certain medical conditions while at school.