Demand for capable school nurses – with a nursing background and enough experience in the field – is on the rise. More schools are investing in recruiting nurses mainly because the health-related challenges faced by children today are more complex.
At the same time, school nurses are required to do more for their students. That complex array of health-related issues requires special handling. This leads to existing and future school nurses being asked to do more in their role as healthcare professionals.
Frontline in Preventing Outbreaks
Recent studies have shown that there were fewer outbreaks of communicable diseases in recent years than there were in previous periods. As schools pay more attention to the health of their students, preventing outbreaks became easier.
School nurses are playing a more active role in tracking and preventing diseases from spreading. Their good work isn’t just preventing outbreaks in schools, but also in families and local communities. In some cases, nurses even work with local district administrators and other stakeholders.
It is not uncommon for school nurses to be the first to raise an alarm, especially in specific circumstances. School nurses, working alongside entities like the CDC, are indeed the leading edge in our fight against epidemics.
Growing Challenges
You don’t have to go through complex procedures to become a school nurse. In fact, GlobalHealth has a fantastic guide on how to become a school nurse in 2019, filled with details on how you can earn the right degree and prepare yourself for the role.
Top universities are realigning their nursing programs to prepare nurses for the challenges they will inevitably face. For school nurses, having the ability to treat injuries and deal with a wide range of health emergencies is a must.
Gone are the days of administering over-the-counter medication and dealing with minor issues. Today’s school nurses are also expected to have a basic understanding of mental health, major injuries, and advanced health screening procedures.
A Licensed Profession
Keep in mind that only registered nurses can become a school nurse. Earning a degree in nursing is the first step towards entering this field. It is also worth noting that school nurses can go on to become professional nurses and pursue other career paths in the healthcare industry.
The only problem schools now face is low supply of professional nurses, but that also means more opportunities for those who want to pursue a career in this field. In fact, students pursuing their nursing degree today will graduate onto a wealth of opportunities in the future.
Part of the reasons why the opportunities are worth pursuing is because universities are making the necessary adjustments to their courses. Earning a nursing degree means acquiring the skills needed to handle the challenges faced by school nurses today and in the future.
The fact that school nurses are doing more to take care of students is a good thing. Students – and parents – can feel (and be) safer while at school. The communities around schools are benefiting from the presence of professional nurses too. School nurses will be even more crucial to the growth of communities.
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