Wednesday, May 10, 2023
National School Nurse Day is Wednesday, May 10, 2023! Let’s take time to thank our school nurses! The MPS school nursing staff plays a key role in providing healthy spaces for learning.
School nurses are ready and willing to look after individual student health needs, support families, and offer school-wide programs. A school nurse’s primary purpose is to help students stay healthy and safe so they are ready to learn. School nurses make sure students know how to manage health conditions such as asthma by properly taking medication or other treatments. Nurses also work hard with families struggling with poverty or serious health issues, connecting them to community resources such as health insurance, food pantries, language assistance programs, and transportation services, as well as offsite healthcare providers.
National School Nurse Day was established in 1972 to recognize the value and accomplishments of school nurses. School nurses identify and support students with chronic health conditions, immunization compliance, mental health, first aid and sudden illness, emergency care, and more.
According to the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), school nurses benefit students and schools in many ways.
- Nurses improve attendance by promoting wellness and good hygiene.
- Nurses enable better academic performance by addressing individual health needs.
- Nurses address student health concerns, freeing up administrators and staff.
- Nurses improve the general health and wellbeing of staff.
- Nurses help school accountability by promoting compliance with federal and state laws.
- Nurses promote emergency preparedness and CPR training.
Today, thank a nurse! We appreciate the tireless efforts of our nurses who guide students and schools through a wide range of health challenges.