Middle School/High School Nurses

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

I have been hired for as school nurse for 7-12th grades. Those in middle school/high school how do you have the health room decorated. In the interview they told me the last school nurse didn't do any decorations and they would like me to do so as if a teacher would their classroom. So what do you all have up? Where do you purchase your items. I am thinking having different things up in general then on one side of the wall putting up a different monthly theme like August= Back to School theme. Another month doing a safety theme, etc.... Also, do you have health pamphlets for the students to take of they are interested.

[Nurse ABC]

Check out pintrest for school nurse decorating and bulletin board ideas. There are some really cute health themed ideas for different months/seasons.

There are teacher stores in our town. There are school nurse and teacher catalogues that have things as well.

Never known anyone in our schools to do pamphlets as those #1 would come out of our own small budget or pocket and #2 whenever we've had a few free pamphlets from conferences or whatever no one wants to take them. Kids this age seem to be embarrassed for anyone to see them having a pamphlet on anything usually unless they were passed out to an entire class and made to take one.

[plainfieldguy]

Check out a teacher's store if there is one nearby. They often have health-related posters and posters with positive self-esteem messages that you can hang in the room. The 'dollar store' is another place where you might find some materials, especially generic posterboard, construction paper, borders, etc. for decorating bulletin boards. You can also check out major health organizations online such as the American Heart Association, Poison Control, etc.--they often have pamphlets, small posters, etc. that you can print off. Different government sites such as the CDC, WHO, US Dept of Health and Human Services may also have some materials you can print off or order. Some of them might also send you some materials for free since you work in a school. Having different pamphlets available as reading material is a great idea to keep students occupied when you have 5 or 6 students in the office at once!

If your school has a health club, you can enlist their help in keeping the bulletin board up-to-date throughout the year by assigning a different theme each month. Here is a website that lists different health observances by month along with 'tool kits' to give ideas about activities:

http://healthfinder.gov/NHO/

Info about healthy foods/the new food plate from

www.choosemyplate.gov is a good one for starting off the year since it is general enough to be of interest to all age groups. A search on google images for 'health bulletin boards' will give you some ideas as well. Also, keep in touch with the health/phys ed teacher during the year and see if you can build off the topics they are discussing in class to help reinforce learning. Have fun!

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the ideas!! The school does not have a health club but once I get started after a little while I would like to propose a health and wellness club. I would be willing to facilitate the club.

[AmberBradford]

Johnson and Johnson is really into nursing and they have free posters about nursing that you could use for one of your months. (i.e. May for nurses week) Johnson & Johnson Discover Nursing | Campaign for Nursing this is the web link for them. I have gotten tons of things from them so that I can use then in the office (ie reading stuff for them to read while waiting). Good luck this school year!