School Nurse Certification

School nurses play an important role in ensuring the wellbeing of students attending schools across the country. The school nurse helps treat students who are having difficulty learning and is often the first to respond when an emergency situation occurs in a school setting.
 
School nurses must be able to follow a doctor’s instructions in emergency situations. They must also keep up on modern technology, new practices and medical knowledge to help students stay healthy and to help prevent disease. To be well-equipped for this demanding and rewarding profession, nurses are required to obtain a school nurse certification.

National School Nurse Certification Requirements

The National Association of School Nurses requires that all school nurses have a minimum of the following:
  • a bachelor's degree
  • certification
  • licensing as a registered nurse
  • nursing experience.

School Nurse Course Requirements

School nurse courses can be taken at universities or through online school nurse certification programs. The school nurse needs expertise in pediatrics, public health nursing and mental health nursing. Aspiring school nurses will obtain this expertise with the following required courses:
  • human growth and development, which involves areas of child health nursing
  • mental health, which centers on psychiatric nursing and/or child psychology
  • public health nursing, which involves theory, practice or community specializations
  • social science, which involves sociology, psychology or cultural anthropology.

School Nurse Certification Exam

Those wishing to take the school nurse certification exam must be a licensed registered nurse (RN) and currently employed in the field of school nursing.
 
Although not required, it is strongly recommended that registered nurses complete a minimum of three years of employment as a school nurse before taking the school nurse certification exam. The exam can be taken at testing centers throughout the United States. It costs about $300 to take the school nurse certification exam.
 
The school nurse certification exam tests an RN’s knowledge of common health problems that may occur in a typical school setting. It also covers appropriate interventions for various health problems, as well as ethical and professional nursing issues.
 
After five years, the school nurse certification is no longer valid. By this time, the licensed RN should have completed many continued education hours in the subject of school nursing. It costs around $200 to get recertified.

Role of School Nurse

The major role of the school nurse is to support student learning. The nurse does this by applying his or her skills to help promote student health and safety. In addition, he or she may offer:
  • health counseling: A nurse provides health counseling and evaluates mental health needs.

  • health education: The school nurse provides health education to students, staff and parents.

  • help with parental involvement: The school nurse is a liaison between students and their families, especially when the student has health issues of which families are unaware.

Where School Nurses Find Work

School nurses practice in schools throughout the United States and can work in:
  • alternative schools
  • colleges and universities
  • elementary schools
  • high schools
  • junior high schools
  • middle schools
  • parochial schools
  • pre-schools
  • private schools
  • vocational schools.
School nursing provides an exciting opportunity for registered nurses to practice in an interesting field.
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