School nurses are multi-faceted professionals who are tasked with the responsibility of improving the health outcomes in schools and the communities. These professionals develop evidence-based care to cater to preschool-adolescent students and children with intellectual disabilities and prevailing conditions. School Nursing is a course that equips professionals who would like to work in school setups with requisite knowledge and skills. The course is aligned to a syllabus that outlines the expectations for a nursing student on completing the course. I have undertaken the school nursing course, and I have developed the skills, knowledge, and attitude. A reflection on the course establishes how I have achieved the course goals that are listed in the course syllabus.
School Nursing Course Goals
School nursing is a significant career path in the field of nursing as it helps to improve public health outcomes not only in schools but also in communities. The school nursing course is aligned with various course goals that are aimed at imparting requisite skills, knowledge, and attitude. One of the course goals calls upon students to understand what school nursing is and the role played by the school nursing standard of practice. School nursing, just like any other nursing career, is guided by several standards of practice, which establish competent levels of care in nursing processes. American Nursing Association (2017) asserts that there are six standards of practice, which include assessment, outcomes identification, planning, diagnosis, execution, and assessment of outcomes. The syllabus establishes the need for students to farmiliarize themselves with the school nursing practice frameworks and models and, in turn, enhance the prevention of diseases. The framework provides practicing school nurses with a structure for developing a healthy and safe school atmosphere to support student health (National Association of School Nurses, 2015). School nursing, just like other nursing careers, is aligned to legal principles, which include FERPA, HIPAA, and CAPTA and which ensure compliance with regulations and health rules. School nurses are required to share student's health data with public health agencies to inform vital public health programs and activities. CSG Justice Center (2018) asserts that there is a need for school nurses to be conscious of health and data security laws in their respective states that govern information sharing. This knowledge ensures that the school nurse is promoting the health outcomes of the students within the existing legal frameworks.
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The school nursing syllabus considers a school nurse as an integral part of the healthcare system as a professional who is aligned with federal and state healthcare programs. The school nurse is a significant contributor to the Healthy People 2020 program, considering that he or she works with students who form the majority part of the American population. Maughan et al. (2017) assert that school nurses who are part of a comprehensive education and healthcare system enhance the health of the nation's young people. In this case, students must be allowed access to full-time school nurses if the Healthy People 2020 is to become a reality. The school nursing syllabus view a school nurse as a professional who has the capacity to create health plans that cater for the developmental need of all students.
In the same way, the nurse provides all the students with developmentally appropriate and culturally responsible care and in turn enhances equity and quality of care. Johnson (2017) affirms that school nurses ensure that children access educational opportunities despite their health statuses and by getting rid of cultural barriers. In this case, school nurses become students' advocate who designs systems that expedite communities and individuals to achieve their full potential. The syllabus goes ahead to establish that school nursing students should be in a position to collaborate with community members to solve problems. The outcome is based on the fact that children demonstrate mental health issues and intellectual disabilities. For this reason, the nurses must collaborate with public health professionals, pediatricians, families, and school personnel (National Association of School Nurses 2017). This kind of collaboration allows school nurses to bridge education and healthcare and champion for quality and student-focused care.
Reflection on the Course Goals
The school nursing course goals that are outlined in the syllabus are quite profound, considering that they establish the direction and outcome for students. The course goals are applicable in every-day practice with school nurses linking healthcare to education by adopting and implementing evidence-cased and student centered-care. These elaborate course goals will inform my practice in the future since they capture every aspect of the nursing discourse. The school nursing standards of practice will guide my practice since I am aware that a school nurse is a healthcare expert who is aligned with nursing standards. It is my role as a school nurse to practice within the five standards of practice to ensure that students who form a considerable part of the population have healthY outcomes.
School nursing is a dynamic professional, which calls for continued personal development to deal with the demands of the students. It is important to note that the students have various learning needs abilities and health challenges in addition to presenting cultural diversities. For this reason, school nurses should collaborate with other public health professionals, families, pediatricians, and school personnel to improve health outcomes. In as much as school nurses are tasked with the responsibility of advancing federal and state policies, they must be aligned with legal principles, school regulations, and health laws. In this case, school nurses should understand their scope of practice as well as the limitations posed by legal principles, which include FERPA, HIPAA, and CAPTA. Scholl nurses who fulfill the course goals as outlined in the syllabus are deemed to be in a position to engage in practice and make a difference in their communities
References
American Nursing Association. (2017). School nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). American Nurses Association.
CSG Justice Center. (2018). The school discipline consensus report . Justice Center.
Johnson, K. (2017). Healthy and ready to learn: School nurses improve equity and access. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing , 22(3) .10.3912/OJIN.Vol22No03Man01
Maughan, E. D., Cowell, J., Engelke, M. K., McCarthy, A. M., Bergren, M. D., Murphy, M. K., Barry, C., Krause-Parello, C. A., Luthy, K. B., Kintner, E. K., & Vessey, J. A. (2018). The vital role of school nurses in ensuring the health of our nation's youth. Nursing Outlook, 66(1), 94-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2017.11.002
National Association of School Nurses. (2015). Framework for 21st-century school nursing practice. https://www.nasn.org/nasn/nasn-resources/professional-topics/framework
National Association of School Nurses. (2017). Whole school, whole community, whole child: Implications for 21st-century school nurses. Retrieved from https://schoolnursenet.nasn.org/blogs/nasn-profile/2017/07/28/whole-school-whole-community-whole-child
