National School Nurse Day is a holiday that’s observed on Wednesday during National Nurses Week in May every year. It is a day on which we recognize the importance of school nurses and what they do for our children. School nurses are vital intermediaries between the school and the medical care that exists outside of the school. They determine how to address students’ injuries, how to treat them if they can be treated in school, and when the child should be sent home to the parents or taken to the hospital. That’s why we think it’s important that everyone recognizes the importance of school nurses on this day.

The History Of National School Nurse Day

Before we can find out when this holiday was actually created, we first have to know when the Department Of School Nurses was established. This agency was established by the National Education Association in 1968 and was envisioned as an organization dedicated to advancing the practice of school nursing. After this was formed at the federal level, many U.S. states began to establish their own school nurse associations under the Department Of School Nurses.

As the practice of school nurses continued throughout the 1970s, it caught the attention of U.S. President Gerald Ford. In 1974, he proclaimed the Wednesday of National Nurses Week. It has been celebrated on this day ever since.

Facts About School Nurses

If you’re still curious about school nurses, then allow us to satisfy that curiosity by giving you some interesting information on the field of school nursing and school nurses specifically. Below are some of the facts we’ve learned as we researched this holiday.

• Many school nurses have more nursing education than nurses who work in hospitals.
• Many school nurses are required to take continuing education every two years.
• Private schools aren’t required to have school nurses.
• Some school nurses are the only school officials that can give out condoms in some areas.
• Only some school nurses are allowed to administer vaccines.
• There’s a school nurse shortage all across the United States.
• It’s been estimated there are over 1,000 students for every school nurse working.
• Some schools don’t even have a dedicated school nurse but instead have a nurse that rotates to several different schools each week.
• Some school nurses also provide lessons as part of their job description.
• Sometimes school nurses are tasked with being teacher aides.
• School nurses report that they often see just as many mental health issues affecting students as they do physical ones.

Observing National School Nurse Day

National School Nurse Day can be observed by thanking your child’s school nurse or even giving them a card of appreciation. However, if you don’t have a child in school, you can still give a mass shoutout to all the school nurses out there by using the hashtag #NationalSchoolNurseDay. Give all the school nurses the recognition and appreciation they deserve.