NASN Radio- National Association of School Nurses

Despite the legendary work historically done by school nurses to get students vaccinated, immunization gaps still exist. In this segment, we discuss how school nurses can help close the chasm among all populations. Follow: @schoolnurses @bamradionetwork Jean Grabeel is the Manager of Health Services for Springfield Public Schools, serving over 25,000 students in Springfield, MO. A graduate of St John's School of Nursing and Missouri State University with a bachelor's in nursing. Dr. William Schaffner is past president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and has served on the Executive Board of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He is also Professor of Preventive Medicine in the Department of Health Policy as well as Professor of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.

In part two of this series, we look at some of the additional ways infections spread in schools and discuss ways to prevent or contain the risk to children and staff. Tia Campbell, MSN, RN, NCSN provides technical assistance and training to 132 school divisions as School Health Specialist at the Virginia Department of Education. Tia serves as Vice President of NASN. Chuck Gerba is a professor in the Departments of Soil, Water and Environmental Science (College of Agriculture), and Epidemiology and Biostatistics (College of Public Health) at the University of Arizona.

What do school nurses need to know about managing student concussions? Who needs to be involved in deciding whether a student is ready to return to normal school activities? What tools are available to help you? What specific role should the school nurse play on the process? Are you fully prepared?

NASN's Meningitis awareness campaign is all about bringing together various voices -- school nurses, parents, and survivors of the disease. The goal is to share personal experiences to help families understand the threat to tweens and teens and the importance of vaccination.

School nurses are well positioned to help ensure oral health among students. This segment debunks some myths and provides a useful overview of what you should know. It also provides access to tools and resources to help you support oral health at your school.
Dr. Mary J. Hayes is an American Dental Association spokesperson for pediatric dental issues and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Susan Zacharski, RN, MEd. has been a school nurse for more than 23 years. Funding for this segment is provided (in part) by a grant from the ADA Foundation.