It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses that the school districts should
provide a professionally prepared registered nurse all day, every day in each building (NASN 2003).
NASN recommends minimum ratios of nurses to students depending on the needs of the student populations:
1:750 for students in the general population
1:225 in the student population that may require daily professional school
nursing services or interventions.
1:125 in student populations with complex health care needs, and
1:1 may be necessary for individual students who require daily and continuous professional
nursing services.
Here is a list of various organizations that have put out Position Statements on School Nurses.
1. The Oregon State Board of Nurse’s position statement is that a Registered Nurse, knowledgeable
in school nursing is essential to the planning and delivery of health services in schools especially
for students with special health needs. Adopted: 4-13-2006
2. The Oregon Education Association just this year 2008 issued a statement supporting mandatory s
chool nurse services for students from birth to age 21. Further, the Association endorses a
nurse-to-student ratio of at least 1:750 outlined by the federal government’s Healthy People 2010
objectives.
3. The American Nurses Association supports a collaborative school health model which best
protects the fundamental public health and educational priority our nation’s children represent.
Based in part on the success of public health planning, it requires the cooperation and participation
of health care professionals, teachers, school administrators, and staff, students, families, and
the community. In such a model, the school nurse serves as manager and coordinator of care,
information, education, personnel, and resources to take best advantage of schools’ unique position
in addressing students’ safety and health care needs. School nurses are essential in promoting
health, injury prevention, and providing direct health services to school students and staff;
thus the ANA advocates for one nurse to be available onsite for at least a portion of each day
for every 750 students, with an ultimate goal of at least one nurse per school. March 16, 2007
4. The Academy of Pediatrics supports having a full-time school nurse in every school as the
best means of ensuring a strong connection with each student’s medical home. The AAP recommends
and supports the continued strong partnership among school nurses, school physicians, other
school health personnel, and pediatricians. These partners serve the health of children best
by facilitating the development of a coordinated school health program, facilitating access to
a medical home for each child and integrating health, education, and social services for
children at the community level. School nurses, as part of a coordinated school health program,
contribute to meeting the needs of the whole child and supporting their success in school.
Pediatricians should establish a working relationship with the school nurses who care for their
patients with chronic conditions to ensure that individual patients’ health plans are executed
effectively within the school. Policy statement Pediatrics Vol 121 No. 5 May 2008
National Legislative Resources
National legislation information can be found at the NASN web site.
State Legislative Resources
Find your legislator:
Oregon
State Legislature - Find Your Legislator
Write to your legislator:
Oregon
State Legislature - Write Your Legislator
Follow bills currently in legislation:
Oregon State
Legislature - Bills and Laws
To keep up with budget/taxation issues:
Oregon State
Legislature - Budget and Taxation
To see and hear live legislative sessions:
Oregon State
Legislature - Legislative Audio
For general information regarding the Oregon State Legislature such as
committee schedules, press releases, activities and calendars: Oregon State
Legislature