Health and Safety
The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health and safety, preserve wholeness of character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth.
As lifelong learners, school nurses must have knowledge relevant to meet the needs of the individual students and entire student populations. Maintenance of high levels of competency is enhanced through collaboration with peers, other health professionals, and community agencies. National school nurse certification recognizes school nurse competence and expertise. School nurses recognize that wholeness of character extends to students, families, school staff, school leaders, and all others with whom they engage. Personal and professional integrity are maintained via careful attention to verbal, non-verbal, and written communication that is culturally informed, unbiased, truthful, accurate and well-planned. Supervisory evaluation by an experienced school nurse informs continuous improvement of each school nurse’s practice. The potential tension between administrators and school nurses can result in ethical dilemmas resulting in moral distress for the nurse. It is incumbent upon the school nurse to advocate for evidence-based practice decisions that are based on respect of self and others.