In this post, we'll look at some of the most useful technologies available today that help school nurses be more productive at work and home and deliver the best care to students.
Bob Weishar
January 21, 2022
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5 minutes
It's no secret that school nurses have a lot on their plate.
As someone on the front lines of student health, school nurses are responsible for making sure students are healthy and safe, overseeing their well-being in a way that supports the educational process. More kids than ever before are being diagnosed with chronic and behavioral health needs requiring medical care at school for things like type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, ADHD and mental health needs.
And when it comes down to it: you need the right tools.
In this post, we'll look at some of the most useful technologies available today so you can be more productive at work and home - plus get some tips on how best to use them!
Electronic health records (EHRs) are one of the most important tools in a school nurse's arsenal. These digital databases allow you to track and document student health information, including immunizations, chronic conditions, medications and allergies. When used correctly, EHRs can help prevent students from falling through the cracks when it comes to their health care.
Over the last few years, a number of software tools have popped up specifically to help school nurses record care at school. Here are a few:
Communication is an essential tool for the modern school nurse. It helps you to be both proactive and reactive to your students’ needs, as well as their parents’.
Most schools are still communicating with text, phone calls, and emails to keep parents informed of their children’s wellbeing, but there are modern tools popping up to make this more purpose-fit and easier to manage. The use of technology can help make communication more efficient, thus freeing up more time for activities that will benefit your students, making it easier to keep tabs on what each individual needs, and responding quickly during emergencies!
The team is the most critical aspect of a school's health and safety. A strong, trained, and cohesive staff can make the difference between an average day and a very bad one. When you're staffing a school with multiple classrooms, it's important to have enough staff that they all share responsibilities so no one person is doing everything. It's also important to remember that during peak times such as lunch, recess and after-school activities there will be a higher number of students in your care. If you don't have enough people on hand to cover this increased need then it could be detrimental to their health or safety if there isn't someone available when needed most!
Services and tools are available to schools to help increase staff capacity, both in-person (think: agencies) and virtual (think: telemedicine). Here are a few of our faves:
Keeping a record of the care you provide is an important part of your job. You can use this log to document the services you've provided and keep track of student health history. Many schools are keeping track of health information with pen and paper, though increasingly schools are moving toward digital solutions to make tracking easier and data export easier.
Here are some examples:
Now that you’ve learned about some of the tools that can help your school nurse practice, it’s time to start implementing them. It may seem overwhelming at first, but if you take it one step at a time, you’ll be able to get started in no time!
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