Piper M.
School Nurses Bridge Student Health with Education School Nurse Organization of Minnesota: We can help districts navigate pandemics By Jolie Holland and Mary Heiman Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts across Minnesota are starting an unprecedented school year. The School Nurse Organization of Minnesota (SNOM) is keenly aware of concerns that will impact the health and safety of students, school staff and families. According to Minnesota Statute 121A.21: âEvery school board must provide services to promote the health of its pupils.â COVID-19 highlights the importance of school districts to meet the health and safety needs of the district. Licensed School Nurses (LSN), as Public Health Nurses, are key components of meeting those needs and should be involved in district and community planning. Unfortunately, in Minnesota, one-third of school districts do not have an LSN. In many of the remaining school
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districts, LSNs may be assigned to a number of schools and programs which may be spread out a great distance apart. Some school districts do not have licensed nurses to provide health service tasks. An LSN can reduce school district liabilities by having a qualified person in your district who can administer proper treatment and address medical issues. In some school districts, LSNs have been very involved with school district planning for the 2020-2021 school year related to the impact of COVID-19. As the knowledge of COVID-19 and cases continue to evolve, LSNs can partner with school districts to develop policies and procedures for the health and safety of students and staff.
MINNESOTA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION | JOURNAL
