Requirements for School Nursing

[skyblue1484]

Hello. I am trying to figure out what type of licensing is necessary to be eligible to be a school nurse. The reason I ask is my son is a high school teacher in Indiana and their high school nurse is an EMT. I was under the impression that EMTS (in Indiana) are not allowed to dispense medications so I am curious how she is able to dispense a student's medication to them? Does anyone have any information about the requirements to be a school nurse, specifically in Indiana?

Thanks so much for your time!

[Jolie, BSN]

The requirements for school nursing vary from state to state and district to district. I would encourage you to check the state Board of Nursing or Department of Education websites for specifics in Indiana.

However, it is a misnomer that the school nurse is an EMT. Nurse is a protected title, meaning it can not legally be used by anyone who is not licensed as an RN or LPN.

I suspect that your district has a nurse who oversees a number of schools, while each health room may be staffed by a paraprofessional such as an EMT or a teaching assistant with specialized health training who works under the direction and supervision of the district nurse.

In that case, it is likely that medications are being administered by that paraprofessional. Not to nit-pick, but there is a difference between dispensing medication (which pharmacists and physicians do) and administering medication (which nurses and medication assistants do).