Running head: SCHOOL NURSE SUPERVISION

Policy Brief: SHB 1346 / SB 5325 School Nurse Supervision

Kristine M. Krumdiack

Western Washington University

NURS 412 Health Policy, Leadership, and U.S. Healthcare

Dr. Bill Lonneman DNP, RN

Policy Brief: SHB 1346 / SB 5325 School Nurse Supervision

 2

This policy brief was written with the following individuals in mind: Luanne Van

Werven,Vincent Buys and senator Doug Ericksen

Summary

The goal for this bill is to Clarifying the authority of a nurse working in a school

setting. (Washington legislation, 2017) As the legislation sits now, non medical professionals

such as the schools superintendents has the right to overturn the medical decisions made by

schools Registered nurse. There have even been situations where the nurse has been disciplined

for calling 911 when she thought it was medically necessary and the family of the child

complained. Nurses among schools have become scarce as it is and the medical decisions should

be in the hands of the licensed professional.

Background

Imagine that you send your 7 year old son who has a peanut allergy to school one day. As

a parent you are prepared and had an epi pen already prescribed for him at the school. That day

the child next to him had just eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Your son is now exposed

and going into anaphylactic shock. The quick thinking of the lunch room aid rushes your son to

the office they locate the epi pen and decide not to use it because no one really feels comfortable

so principle decided to go against what the nurse has requested and gives a Benadryl and send

him to the hospital instead. This action and delayed care to your child could and has come with

life threatening consequences. With the increase in complexities of childhood illness the NASN

(National Association of School Nurses) recommends that a school nurse be clinically supervised

and evaluated by a RN knowledgeable about the scope and standards of practice for school

nursing (NASN, 2013). To become a school nurse you must not only obtain a Registered Nursing
 3

license but you must also obtain a special certificate for education staff. School nurses not only

provide health education and medical information to students and staff but they also must

provide direct care when available to do so. This bill would not take away the authority of the

superintended to make decisions related to employment of the nurse nor will it take away

education related decisions. It will just insure that the school nurses will not be overseen by

anyone other than a Registered Nurse or higher.

Recommendation

As a mother and a registered nurse I support this bill. I believe that it will decrease the

medical response time when providing care for my children and others alike. This bill will allow

school nurses to administer high risk drugs such as seizer medication as trained in pre licensure.

It would decrease the right of non- medical staff to refuse the administration of medications such

as Epi Pens because of lack of comfort in the administration ability. This bill will allow the

nurses to provide care as they were trained and licensed to do.

I support this bill and I am requesting that you do the same for the children of

Washington. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this policy brief and look

forward to your vote for SHB 1346 / SB 5325.

 4

References

Hoekstra, B. A., Young, V. L., Eley, C. V., Hawking, M. K., & McNulty, C. A. (2016). School

Nurses perspectives on the role of the school nurse in health education and health

promotion in England: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 15(1), 73.

School Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice 2nd Edition. (2013). Retrieved March 3, 2017,

fromhttps://portal.nasn.org/members_online/members/viewitem.asp?

item=S001&catalog=MAN&pn=1&af=NASN

Washington state legislature, Washington state legislature, http://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?

BillNumber=1346&Year=2017#documentSection.