How to eat this elephant!?

BunnyBunnyBSNRN, ASN, BSN · Feb 20

I've not been in your position, so this is just off the hip.

Reach out to the Health Services Director and your local ISDs. Ask about policies/procedures in their clinics. Look at your state BON for guidance on scope of practice for RNs, LVN/LPNs, and CNAs - what can be delegated vs what can't and administration of OTCs (including everything from Tylenol to cough drops) are good places to start, I think. If you aren't a member, join NASN and your state School Nurse Association, there are multiple resources with both.

Be ready for push back from admin and parents, and stand firm, remember, this is YOUR license, and YOU have to protect it.

Good luck! And come back and tell us how it goes. 🙂

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Feb 20

What Bunny said! And learn your immunization rules and check to see when you have any reports due. Highly recommend NASN and your state association. Good Luck and Welcome! This is one of the nicest forums on the site!

Cattz, ADN · Feb 24

Ashlie- Welcome to our world. This is a wonderful supportive group and we don't eat our young. So, thank you for asking your question.

A few thoughts-

If your state has a State School Nurse Consultant- email or call that person and let them know that you are brand new and need guidance.

What state are you in? If your state has resources to support your new endeavor, look them up and use them regularly. If not, here is the link to Missouri's resources- they are fabulous- https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/index.php If you go there- there are many tabs to click on. I would suggest that you click on the Health Office Management, then - "Guidelines and Manuals". Under that- the first one won't do much good unless you are in Missouri. But there are also some things in there that would be helpful.

The next 4 resources under that are the meat and potatoes of what I use/have used the most- **"Manual for School Health Programs"- A general overview of the Health Program. It has forms and a wealth of information.

**"Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases" - If your state doesn't have this- I would print this ASAP and have the CNA to start using it to determine who stays at school and who goes home when they are sick. This is the ONLY thing I or my schools use. It helps with consistency and builds trust that everyone gets treated equally when it comes to exclusion or not excluding.

**" Medication Administration in Missouri Schools: Guidelines for Training School Personnel"- If you aren't in Missouri- check with your BON- but, if your state doesn't have a resource like this- it will still be very useful. It will hep save you license if there is a med error, because you have a training to train the CNA or secretary/whoever gives meds in your absence.

** Emergency Guidelines for Schools and Childcare Facilities" - this is for use when you- the RN are not in the building and there is a medical anything that happens. It is a great resource.

As soon as possible- please get familiar with the immunization laws and rules. Enforcement of compliance is not easy sometimes. In Missouri there is no grace period for kids to be in compliance to attend school.

IF your state has a state wide immunization database- get a password or however it works and start using it. In Missouri it is called ShowMeVax and is THE single most useful tool I have in my toolbox.

I hope this is helpful. Please reach back out and update us on how you are doing or when you have more questions.

You've got this! Best wishes!