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New Database Highlights Funding Opportunities for Nurses and Nursing Students
New to www.campaignfornursing.com is a "Funding Opportunities" database, a first-of-its-kind online resource devoted to helping you find money for nursing education programs. The database includes links to available scholarships, loan repayment programs and grant opportunities, as well as information on the $200 million in government funding for healthcare professionals, including the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP).
To access the database, visit www.campaignfornursing.com.
Nursing Loan Repayment Programs
The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program is a competitive program that repays 60 percent of the qualifying nursing education loan balance of registered nurses selected for funding in exchange for two years of service at a critical shortage facility. Participants may be eligible to work a third year and receive an additional 25 percent of the qualifying nursing educational loan balance. The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program expects to start receiving applications again in January 2010.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services also announced the release of $13.4 million for loan repayments to nurses who agree to practice in facilities with critical shortages and for schools of nursing to provide loans to students who will become nurse faculty.
For more information on these programs, visit www.bhpr.hrsa.gov. |
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New Nursing Gang Bookcovers Available
New "The Nursing Gang" bookcovers are available at no cost to order on www.discovernursing.com for any kids you know who are interested in nursing. The new covers feature "The Nursing Gang" characters and include a comic strip and handy calendar for students to hang in their locker at school.
To order "The Nursing Gang" bookcovers, visit www.discovernursing.com.
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We appreciate the feedback we received from those who participated in the Nursing Notes survey. More than 250 readers responded with valuable input that will be used to improve the newsletter.
An overwhelming 89.4 percent of you said that Nursing Notes is useful to your role in the nursing profession, and the collective feedback you gave us will help us continue to deliver industry-specific information that is important and of use to you.
With 63.1 percent of readers finding the "Nursing Resources" section of the newsletter most useful and interesting, we will continue to include unique and helpful resources that you can use and also share with your colleagues and/or others.
You asked for more articles on a number of topics including global differences in nursing, social media outlets for nurses and the best nursing schools. Be on the lookout for these articles and other content you requested in Nursing Notes over the next few months, and please continue to share the newsletter with your colleagues and aspiring nurses!
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School Nurse Role is Expanding
As students head back to school this fall, more than 66,000 nurses are resuming their roles in school clinics across the country, according to United States Department of Education. Since the 1890s, school systems and local health departments have employed both nurses and physicians to screen students for contagious diseases, but today nurses have assumed responsibility for most activities related to staff and student health.
"School nurses are on the cutting edge of the public health mission by detecting abnormal health patterns in schools and alerting local public health departments," said Martha Dewey Bergren, DNS, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FASHA, director of research, National Association of School Nurses (NASN). "Since a school nurse identified the first U.S. case of the H1N1 virus earlier this year, school nurses have been getting even more recognition as essential healthcare professionals."
A 2008 policy statement endorsed by the NASN in the American Academy of Pediatrics focused on the role of school nurses providing comprehensive health services to children. When not at home, kids spend most of their time in school, and the school nurse is the onsite healthcare representative. Some common conditions that affect children, such as allergies or asthma, are often identified by school nurses because they see the students coming into their clinics day after day.
The NASN recently identified major research priorities to produce more data to further demonstrate how to best utilize school nursing resources. The organization is also working with U.S. health officials to invest stimulus money in electronic medical records in schools. With this documentation process, school officials will be able to better monitor the health of the school community and work with local primary healthcare providers to treat their students' medical conditions.
"Because school nurses are not surrounded by their peers on a daily basis, the NASN understands the importance of communicating the most up-to-date health information to them," said Bergren. "Electronic medical records will add another tool between school nurses and healthcare professionals to improve the health of students."
For more information on the National Association of School Nurses, visit www.nasn.org.
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| School nurses are often required to take on many roles, such as healthcare coordinator, policy maker, caregiver and consultant. |
School Nurses Step Outside the Clinic
Nurses working in hospital settings generally stick to their specific specialty. However, school nurses and school nurse practitioners are often required to take on many roles, such as healthcare case manager, coordinator, policy maker, caregiver and consultant for both students and staff. Most of the time, nurses are the only healthcare professional on staff at school.
Back-to-school time is especially busy for school nurses. They are responsible for making sure students and staff members are healthy and well enough to be back to the classroom. Many school nurses and nurse practitioners are in charge of conducting physicals for school athletes, teachers and even bus drivers. Some nurses even provide onsite medical services for students at school sporting events and accompany students on overnight field trips.
As policy makers, nurses can organize health related events and act as advisors for student health clubs. "I love interacting with students in activities outside of the clinic because it gives me an opportunity to really get to know them," said Charlene H. Riach, RN, FNP, BC, district-wide nurse practitioner, healthcare coordinator and nursing supervisor for the Wallkill Central School District in Wallkill, N.Y. "I learn a great deal from students working with them in different ways, especially computer skills." Riach is the advisor for her school's Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) club and works with students to create anti-tobacco and anti-alcohol programs in addition to her role as nurse supervisor. She also organized the first health fair at her school, which is now an annual event.
School nurses see all sorts of medical conditions, but the most common are chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes. Allergies, especially food allergies, are also important conditions for nurses to be aware of in schools, especially in elementary settings.
"Younger students can pick up anything in the classroom and put it in their mouth, and before you know it they are having an allergic reaction at school," said Riach.
In high school settings, nurses may see more sports-related orthopaedic injuries and play a bigger role in providing medical support for sports teams.
For more information on careers in school nursing, visit www.campaignfornursing.com.
 Barbara J. Duffy RN, MSN, APN, C., and Instructor in the Department of Nursing
William Paterson University
Wayne, N.J.
Q: Why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing?
A: I was a candy striper in high school and enjoyed that experience, so when it became a choice of pursuing a career in commercial art or nursing, I chose nursing. My three year education at Flushing Hospital in Flushing, N.Y. gave me a formidable background in all specialties since we had rotations at the major New York City hospitals at that time. I have never regretted this choice, as nursing is a profession that allows you to use your talents and skills creatively in all your interactions with people.
Q: What inspired you to become a school nurse?
A: I have always looked at prevention as a major part of nursing. When I decided to embark on a baccalaureate program, I enrolled in the School Nurse/Health Education track at Fairleigh Dickinson University. I truly enjoyed the experience since it combined all of my interests: children's health and safety; health education and promotion; primary prevention; and child development and psychology. These areas continue to be my main inspiration today.
After graduation, I worked in drug abuse treatment, eating disorders and medical-surgical nursing because there were no positions available in my interest area. I next entered William Paterson University's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program and again learned so many ways to creatively deal with patients, family and the community. The day I graduated with my BSN, a friend offered me an opportunity to be a school nurse in the school where I had completed my student teaching, which was an exciting opportunity for me.
Q: What advice would you offer to nurses interested in school nursing?
A: If you are dedicated to helping children and their families in promoting an optimal learning experience by supporting their basic good health, the job is for you. Other aspects of the job include dealing with first aid emergencies, giving supportive treatments and medications, and teaching students, parents and staff the principles of disease prevention, safety and attending to the stresses of school life. School nursing is diversified and, as the health officer, you can strongly impact the school with your creativity in providing health programs, educational guidance and supportive assurance to all in the school and community.
Q: How has nursing impacted your life?
A: Nursing has defined me. Whether it is to support my family, friends or my practice, it has allowed me to be a meaningful part of healthcare today. I have felt especially privileged to be taught by and to interact with nursing educators, psychologists and medical staff who have supported my professional growth. The best part of nursing is knowing what needs to be done when there is a problematic healthcare interest or crisis. Being able to contribute what you have experienced and learned to those who would be helped by this information is so valuable to me personally.
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