Raising Money to Support School Nurses and School Nursing Research: NASN's Endowment Fund.

Have you ever wondered how the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) supports school nursing research and clinical practice degree advancement or how they provide opportunities to strengthen advocacy skills? NASN does this work through an endowment fund which provides annual scholarships and grants to members to support their various professional endeavors.

Hands-Only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training in Schools: Impact of Legislation on the Future of School Nurses.

BACKGROUND: Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) initiated before medical help arrives saves lives. Hands-Only CPR keeps the blood flowing to the brain and other organs, increasing a person's chance of survival. METHODS: A literature review identified Hands-Only CPR as the preferred method of CPR performed in the community setting. Many states have passed legislation making CPR education a high school graduation requirement. RESULTS: School nurses can play a pivotal role as school districts address these new CPR requirements. The school nurse involvement in these newly mandated CPR training requirements can support student success and improve the health of communities. CONCLUSIONS: School nurses need to use these newly mandated CPR training requirements as an opportunity to showcase the profession of nursing to ensure the school nurse remains present in our schools.

Health and well-being of UK children in 'jeopardy'.

A new report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) warns that the health and well-being of children is falling behind that of many other European countries.

An Excel Spreadsheet Model for States and Districts to Assess the Cost-Benefit of School Nursing Services.

This paper describes a user-friendly, Excel spreadsheet model and two data collection instruments constructed by the authors to help states and districts perform cost-benefit analyses of school nursing services delivered by full-time school nurses. Prior to applying the model, states or districts need to collect data using two forms: "Daily Nurse Data Collection Form" and the "Teacher Survey." The former is used to record daily nursing activities, including number of student health encounters, number of medications administered, number of student early dismissals, and number of medical procedures performed. The latter is used to obtain estimates for the time teachers spend addressing student health issues. Once inputs are entered in the model, outputs are automatically calculated, including program costs, total benefits, net benefits, and benefit-cost ratio. The spreadsheet model, data collection tools, and instructions are available at the NASN website ( http://www.nasn.org/The/CostBenefitAnalysis ).

Cuts endanger more services.

WHEN BARNSLEY council put out its tender for the 0-19 service last autumn, it laid down strict criteria. A ceiling of £4.8 million a year was put on any bids for the service, which incorporates school nursing teams and health visitors. That represented a cut of more than £1 million on the existing contract.

The Medicaid "Free Care" Policy Change: What Is It, and What Does It Mean for School Nurses?

On December 15, 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to state Medicaid Directors regarding Medicaid Payment for Services Provided without Charge (free care). This guidance may offer local education agencies the opportunity to receive Medicaid reimbursement for health related services when certain requirements are met. This article describes the considerations for local education agencies seeking this reimbursement and the integral role the school nurse could play in the implementation of these requirements.