RESILIENCE COALITION MEMBER
National Association of School Nurses
ORGANIZATION
The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) advances the specialty practice of school nursing to improve the health and academic success of all students. The NASN vision is that all students are healthy, safe, and ready to learn.
NASN is a non-profit specialty nursing organization, incorporated in 1979, which represents school nurses exclusively. NASN has 16,000 members and 50 affiliates, including the District of Columbia and overseas.
The mission of the National Association of School Nurses is to optimize student health and learning by advancing the practice of school nursing.
NOTABLE INITIATIVES
NASN2022
NASN’s 54th Annual School Nurse Conference brings together school nurses and others in the school community. We are ready to gather, celebrate, and educate how school nurses are Connecting Health Equity and Student Success.
The in-person event will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, June 28-30, 2022, and the virtual event will take place July 11-13, 2022. You can also bundle the two events together to increase the total number of NCPD CNE; double your skills, double your networking, and double your experience!
Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice
The National Association of School Nurse’s (NASN) Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™ creates an overarching structure that includes concepts integral to the complex clinical specialty practice of school nursing.
The framework provides a graphic illustration of the key principles of professional school nursing practice, reflecting the organization’s stance for evidence-based best practice and providing focus to priority school nursing activities. The framework provides guidance for the practicing school nurse to reach the goal of supporting student health and academic success by contributing to a healthy and safe school environment. NASN believes it has a responsibility to its members and to the public they serve to develop a framework for professional school nursing practice.
Learn more about NASN’s Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice™.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL NURSES RESOURCES
The Healthy School Nurse Community has been relaunched as a space where wellness tools and information can be shared. We are interested in supporting your wellness as a school nurse.
We also know the incredible influence you have on school health services personnel, school personnel, and students. As trusted members of your school community, we hope you will share any wellness tools or information you find helpful with those in your sphere of influence.
Learn more about how to join the Healthy School Nurse Community.
The National Association of School Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Collaborative Partnership in NCPD Continuing Education with NASN
In addition to NASN as sole developer and provider of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) continuing education in live and enduring formats for school nurses, NASN also partners with other organizations on educational activities that optimize the health of students and advance the practice of school nursing. The partnering organization may not be a commercial interest or sponsor.
Contact NASN today to discuss the collaborative partnership process.
NASN programs are written for registered nurses employed in the specialty of school nursing.
Focus on the Framework: Care Coordination
This interactive program is geared towards helping school nurses develop a deeper understanding of their role in chronic condition management, interdisciplinary team approaches, motivational interviewing, student health care plans, transitional planning and student self-empowerment. 6.5 CNE Contact Hours
Focus on the Framework: Community/Public Health
This interactive program helps school nurses develop a deeper understanding of their role in population health and the impact of social determinants and disparities; and primary prevention for individuals, families, and populations. 6.5 CNE Contact Hours
Focus on the Framework: Quality Improvement
This interactive program is designed to help school nurses develop a deeper understanding of their role in quality improvement including the continuous quality improvement process, documentation and data collection, evaluation, determining meaningful health and academic outcomes, performance appraisals, research and the creation of uniform data sets. 6.5 CNE Contact Hours
Focus on the Framework: Standards of Practice
This program is designed to help school nurses develop a deeper understanding of the importance of standards of practice, including clinical competence, use of clinical guidelines, ethical practice, critical thinking, implementing evidence-based practice, the role of NASN position statements, understanding the scope and standards of school nursing practice, and the importance of the state nurse practice act. 6.5 CNE Contact Hours
What is SETT?
The School Emergency Triage Training (SETT) program is written for registered nurses employed in the specialty of school nursing. The purpose of SETT is to provide school nurses with the knowledge, skills and training resources to lead school-based Disaster Response Teams and perform triage in response to mass casualty incident (MCI) events.
Why do school nurses need SETT?
Effective management of school emergencies where there are mass casualties requires careful training, preparation, and planning to maximize effectiveness under less than optimal conditions.
The school nurse coordinates the collection of information from a variety of sources to develop emergency plans. Emergency response plans require coordination with school administrators, staff, and other community first responders.
This program equips the school nurse with knowledge to develop and lead school first-aid teams.
SETT is offered through a live or in-person option and an online option. Learn more.
NASN has served as a member of a development workgroup focused on refining an intervention for school nurses to use to reduce student anxiety called CALM – Child Anxiety Learning Modules. This work is being lead by the University of Connecticut Health Center and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and has been funded by the Department of Education’s Institute of Educational Sciences.
Learn more about CALM and explore other helpful mental health resources.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL NURSES LEADERSHIP
Linda Mendonca, DNP, MSN, MEd, RN, PHNA-BC, NCSN, FNASN
PRESIDENT
Linda Mendonca, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC, NCSN, FNASN has been a registered nurse for 40 years practicing school nursing for 25 years, overseas and in five states as a military spouse. With the practice of school nursing in the arena of public health; Linda pursued her Masters in advanced public health nursing and completed her Doctor of Nursing practice in Transformative Systems Leadership from Rush University in Chicago. She has served on school nursing organization boards on the state and national level.
Linda is an Assistant Professor currently teaching community/public health nursing at Rhode Island College School of Nursing and consults as a state school nurse consultant at the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Donna Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN, CAE
Executive Director
Donna J. Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN, CAE began working at NASN as executive director in 2011. Donna spent most of her nursing career in community-based settings. For 28 years, her practice focus has been school health. Donna began her school health career as a high school nurse. She worked for 13 years as a state school nurse consultant at the Maryland State Department of Education. Donna served as President of the National Association of School Nurses from 2007-2009.
Her formal education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science degree in Counseling from Loyola University in Maryland. She is nationally certified in school nursing and counseling, in addition to being a certified association executive. Donna is also a licensed clinical professional counselor. She enjoys facilitating student well-being and success and connecting all the helpers (schools, students, families, agencies, communities) whose focus is on student health, safety, and learning.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL NURSES - STRATEGIC PLAN
Definition of School Nursing
School nursing, a specialized practice of nursing, protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. School nurses, grounded in ethical and evidence-based practice, are the leaders who bridge health care and education, provide care coordination, advocate for quality student-centered care, and collaborate to design systems that allow individuals and communities to develop their full potential. Adopted by the NASN Board of Directors February 2017.
NASN Position
To optimize student health, safety and learning, it is the position of the National Association of School Nurses that a professional registered school nurse be present in every school all day, every day.
GOAL 1:
ENGAGE
ENGAGE school nurses in 21st Century Practice.
OBJECTIVES:
- Advocate for positive student outcomes by advancing an accurate school nurse public narrative.
- Engage diverse school nurses in an equitable and inclusive manner via evidence-based resources, tools and programs.
- Facilitate school nurse expertise in population health.
Promote and advance the National School Health Data Set: Every Student Counts!
GOAL 2:
PURSUE
PURSUE health, education, and social equity for students through shared leadership.
OBJECTIVES:
- Secure strategic partnerships in pursuit of upstream changes that enhance student health and education.
- Facilitate school nurse knowledge and influence to build a culture of health in communities where students live, learn, play, and work.
- Direct data collection and research to determine the influence of school health services on individual social needs, social determinants, as well as health and educational disparities.
GOAL 3:
SECURE
SECURE foundational school health evidence.
OBJECTIVES:
- Engage school nurses in the collection and dissemination of school health data.
- Establish a school nurse culture of data collection and research in evidence-based educational offerings and practice..
- Expand partnerships with organizations, including universities, which collect health-related data on children and youth in order to coordinate efforts and advance student health.
- Invest in the development of innovation, research and use of evidence.