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Ethical Considerations Of A School Nurse: Health Policy

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School Nurse: Health Policy

Michelle Cummings
University of Mary
NUR 908 Healthcare Policy and Advocacy
Dr. Cynthia Cooke

School Nurse: Health Policy
Today, school nurses play a pivotal role in health promotion and development in children into young adults. Today in the education system the school nurse works with students on trust, confidence, reliability, and communication. The other education opportunities in today?s school systems include medically fragile students who require medical during the school day, and behavior health education and care. School systems can be the only stable unit in a student?s life, and students who require or need health care surveillance can now receive primary care, basic dental care, and behavior health …show more content…

This can become an ethic web of legal complexities. Nurses are trained through out their education in scope and practice, but not in educational setting practices. This can provide challenges between the school and the nurse to define and clarify the role, accountability, and scope of the position. The school may also expect the nurse to accept non-medical / nurse duties or responsibilities within the school setting. Ethical issues may erupt in decision making, moral distress and moral courage. The nurse can be asked to present at sporting events to care for injuries resulting from the sport, look for guidance on funding for specialized equipment for medical disorders, and report information to public health as required by law. These examples show the scarce resources available to the school system and may be outside the nurse?s comfort and skill level. The advocacy should be reviewed by the nurse through social justice, beneficence, maleficence, and moral courage (Savage, …show more content…

A school nurse needs to be flexible, excellent communication skills, and networking for further services or support services needed beyond the scope of the nurse. School nurses to the younger school age children may be the nurturing person they need and the confidant as they grow into young adulthood. School nurses collaborate with the community outside the educational setting to develop the wrap around services in an interdisciplinary arena for health promotion. The school nurse must follow within the Nurse Practice Act of the state and be aware and knowledgeable of the any laws that apply to the educational setting. The school nurse works both individually and collectively to shape and advocate for the care and rights of students and the vulnerable population within the school system (Savage, 2017).

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Savage, T. A. (2017). Ethical issues in school nursing. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 22(3).

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