School Nursing Support

School, Adolescent & Child Health Unit, 919-707-5600; Fax: 919-870-4880 

School Health Nurse Consultants Map

Your Local Health Department 

DPI NC Healthy Schools 

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) 

North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA) 

American School Health Association (ASHA) 

Current School Year Health Services Report Forms 

Annual Health Assessment and Immunization Compliance Reporting

Health Assessment

Immunizations 

SNFI/351 Resource Page

Annual Reports 

2022-23 LEA

2022-23 Charter

2021-22

2020-21

2019-20

2018-19 

2017-18 

2016-17

2015-16

2014-15 

2013-14 

Table of Contents
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 3: Nursing Assessment 
Chapter 4: Plans of Care 
Chapter 5: School Nurse Case Management 
Chapter 6: Documentation 
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 2: Immunizations 
Chapter 3: Nuisance Conditions
Chapter 4: Universal Precautions 
Chapter 5: Medication Administration
Chapter 6: Emergency Response 
Chapter 7: Screening Programs
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 4: Child Maltreatment 
Chapter 5: The Homeless Student  
Chapter 6: The Student in Foster Care 
Chapter 7: Students and Bullying 
Chapter 8: Students of Incarcerated Parents
Chapter 9: Health Considerations for the LGBTQ Student 
Chapter 10: Service Animals in Schools
Chapter 11: Military Affiliated Students

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

Progress Note Template  

Medicaid Clinical Coverage Policy 10C

NCDPI Medicaid Reimbursement for Related Services 

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 12-13, 2024. 

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.

School Nurse Certification Information Resource 

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, School System Compliance 

NC Healthy Schools: Statute and Policy Related to School Health 

NC State Health Regulations for Non-Public Education 

Guidance on the Application of FERPA and HIPAA  

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. 

Considerations for School Nurses Employed Part-Time 

Charter Diabetes Care Memo

Charter Epinephrine Memo

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.

• Asthma Tiered Document  
• Behavioral Health Tiered Document 
• Diabetes Tiered Document  
• Seizures Tiered Document 
• Severe Allergy Tiered Document

Navigating Chronic Conditions in Out-of-School Time: Resources and Implementation Tools: A standardized guiding principles document providing evidence-based resources and implementation tools for out-of-school time program administrators.

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 

Contract vs. Direct Hire of ELC Staff 

Staff Job Description Components