School Nursing Support
School nurses facilitate the well-being and educational success of North Carolina's children and youth through services directed toward keeping students healthy, in class and ready to learn. In fulfilling this role, they are an integral part of the Student Instructional Support Personnel (SISP) team. The National Association of School Nurses defines school nursing as a specialized practice of nursing that protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success (NASN, 2017).
The North Carolina Division of Child and Family Well-Being School Health Nurse Consultant team provides consultation and technical assistance to North Carolina school nurses and other school staff to ensure that student wellness and health needs are addressed for optimal educational access. The team is comprised of 12 members who focus on state, regional and specialty practice in accomplishing this goal. In collaboration with a variety of multidisciplinary specialists across the Division of Child and Family Well-Being, Division of Public Health and community partners, the consultant team supports all stakeholders in the health and education of children and youth.
Among the goals of the School Health Nurse Consultant Team is the improvement in the quality of school health programs and school nursing practice. Please see the links below for information and resources that support these goals.
School, Adolescent & Child Health Unit, 919-707-5600; Fax: 919-870-4880
School Health Nurse Consultants Map
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Name |
Region |
Address |
Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
|
State School Health Nurse Consultant |
1928 Mail Service Center |
919-218-1095 |
|
|
Charter Schools East |
1928 Mail Service Center |
252-339-3009 |
|
|
Charter Schools West |
1928 Mail Service Center |
336-813-1526 |
|
|
District 1 - Northeast |
1928 Mail Service Center |
919-745-9851 |
|
|
District 2 - Southeast |
1928 Mail Service Center |
919-922-5462 |
|
|
District 3- North Central |
1928 Mail Service Center |
919-634-7556 |
|
|
District 4- Sandhills |
1928 Mail Service Center |
910-661-7391 |
|
|
District 5- Piedmont-Triad |
1928 Mail Service Center |
984-275-9806 |
|
|
District 6 – Southwest |
1928 Mail Service Center |
336-514-0234 |
|
|
District 7 – Northwest |
1928 Mail Service Center |
828-767-0470 |
|
|
District 8- West |
1928 Mail Service Center |
828-767-0470 |
|
|
Chronic Condition Consultant |
1928 Mail Service Center |
919-675-3520 |
What does it take to be a North Carolina School Nurse?
School nurses must be licensed as Registered Nurses (RN) in North Carolina. Additionally, within three years of hire as a school nurse, they must have or obtain, a bachelor’s degree or higher in nursing and National Certification for School Nurses (NCSN).
See resources about School Nursing below:
School Nurse Certification Information Resource
Professional Organizations
School Nurse Association of North Carolina (SNANC)
National Association of School Nurses (NASN)
Section A - History of the School Health Program in North Carolina
Section B - Coordinated School Health
Chapter 1: Whole School, Community, Child Model
Chapter 2: School Health Program Framework
Chapter 3: The School Health Office
Chapter 4: Integrating School Health Services
Chapter 5: School Health Education
Chapter 6: School Health Counseling
Chapter 7: Healthy School Environment
Chapter 8: School Nutrition Services
Section C - School Nursing Practice
Chapter 1: School Nursing Standards
Chapter 2: School Nurse Roles and Responsibilities
Chapter 5: School Nurse Case Management
Chapter 7: Delegation of Health Services
Chapter 8: Initiating School Nursing Activities
Chapter 9: Setting School Nurse Priorities
Section D - School Health Services
Chapter 1: Communicable Disease
Chapter 3: Nuisance Conditions
Chapter 4: Universal Precautions
Chapter 5: Medication Administration
Chapter 8: Collaboration with Health Centers/Telehealth
Section E - Students at Risk
Chapter 1: Exceptional Children's Program
Chapter 2: School Entrance with Healthcare Needs
Chapter 3: Addressing One-on-One Care
Chapter 5: The Homeless Student
Chapter 6: The Student in Foster Care
Chapter 7: Students and Bullying
Chapter 8: Students of Incarcerated Parents
Local Education Agencies (LEAs) may bill Medicaid for cost reimbursement when providing qualifying nursing services to students in schools who are Medicaid beneficiaries. Policy language includes medically necessary evaluations and treatments provided to an NC Medicaid-eligible beneficiary when the service is documented on an Individual Education Program (IEP), Individual Family Service Plan, Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP), Behavior Intervention plan, or 504 plan. Nursing services are covered when they are directly related to a written nursing plan of care (POC), based on an order from a licensed provider and included on a student’s IHP. Related resources are available below.
An Overview for NC Medicaid Reimbursable School Nursing Services. This presentation provides an overview of the requirements as described in the related Medicaid Policy 10c, an introduction to the documents and documentation that must exist and be retained for possible verification or audit, and suggestions for how to be a part of the local billing process.
NC Plan of Care/Individualized Healthcare Plan Template
Medication Administration Record Template
Orientation Modules: The target audience for this online course includes all new school nurses and is a required component of the School Nurse Funding Initiative (SNFI) and Program 351 school nurse orientation. The orientation course is an introduction and prerequisite to future offerings of School Nurse Roles and Responsibilities. Contact your Regional School Health Nurse Consultant for course information.
Roles and Responsibilities: This workshop is an interactive, face-to-face session that builds on the coursework from the online New School Nurse Orientation modules. This course is intended for the novice school nurse with 1 year of school nurse experience and continues to be a requirement for School Nurse Funding Initiative and Child Health Program 351 nurses as an assurance of exposure to school nurse standards. Contact your Regional School Health Nurse Consultant for course information.
Management of Chronic Health Conditions in the School Setting: This webinar is a self-paced learning module intended to introduce participants to a variety of health services provided in schools that support all students, while also supporting students with chronic health conditions. Register and complete the online module.
Annual North Carolina School Nurse Conference: Save the Date for December 7-8, 2023.
Delegation In School Health: Health services in schools often involve the support of unlicensed school staff. This webinar provides an overview of the required process for assuring safe and accurate care when delegating to others.
Healthy Schools - School Nurse Trainings: In collaboration with the School Health Nurse Consultant Team, the UNC Institute of Public Health School Staff Training Center provides self-paced School Nurse Trainings on Communicable Disease Management, School Nurse Extenders and The Virtual School Nurse.
Charter School Health Requirements: This PowerPoint provides charter school nurses and administrators an understanding of school health requirements for N.C. Charter Schools, student health recommendations for consideration, and available resources for assistance.
In North Carolina, school nurse case management of chronic health conditions in schools is defined as the intentional use and documentation of the steps of the nursing process in a manner that achieves individualized health and educational goals. Student goals are often related to school absenteeism, management of chronic health conditions, and academic success. Related resources are available below.
Management of Chronic Health Conditions in the School Setting: This webinar is a self-paced learning module intended to introduce participants to a variety of health services provided in schools that support all students, while also supporting students with chronic health conditions. Register and complete the online module at the link in the title.
School Nurse Case Management Process Model
NC Plan of Care/Individualized Healthcare Plan Template
Chronic Condition Multi-Tiered Process Documents - The following guides are intended to assist with supporting student health and chronic health condition management within a collaborative multi-tiered system structure. The use of this approach assures that all students benefit in maintaining their optimal level of health. Recommended references and resources are examples and suggestions.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services received federal ELC funds to support COVID-19 testing for public and private K-12 schools during the 2021-22 school year. This funding has received a no-cost extension through the 2022-23 school year. Funding is available to LEAs and charter schools to hire temporary school health staff to support testing-related efforts and meet other school health needs.
These resources are designed to assist school health programs that choose to implement a team approach using a variety of staffing. It may have been some time since a school nurse has had experience working with LPNs or other unlicensed staff in a team structure. These resources will provide guidance on job descriptions, possible job duties by the level of licensure and scope of practice, and differences in the hiring process dependent upon whether staff are hired directly or contracted through a staffing agency. Related resources are available below.
Staffing Healthcare in Schools
Staffing Healthcare in Schools for COVID-19
Contract vs. Direct Hire of ELC Staff