School Health Services

At a glance

  • A school's qualified medical professionals often provide preventive care to students.
  • In addition, school nurses play a role in coordinating care for students with chronic health conditions.
  • Getting families involved in school health activities can be an important way to support students with chronic conditions.
A school nurse meeting with high school student.

Overview

School health services staff can help all students with:

  • Preventive care, such as flu shots and vision and hearing screening.
  • Acute and emergency care.

Qualified professionals—school nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, health educators, physicians, physician assistants, and allied health personnel—provide these services.

School health services

  • Acute and emergency care—Injury or illness emergencies can happen at any time, including at school. Often the school nurse may be the only on-site health professional who is formally trained to respond to a medical crisis.
  • Care coordination—School nurses are involved with care coordination for students with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or epilepsy. School nurses can organize student care by sharing information and maintaining communication among those concerned with the student's needs and care.
  • Chronic disease management—Schools can help students with chronic health conditions by providing services through a school nurse or at a school-based health center. School health services staff can help such students safely stay at school, ready to learn.
  • Family management—School health services can engage families of all students. In this way the families are aware of services available at school and how they can benefit children. In schools where services are minimal or lacking, families can voice their support for increased nursing and health services.

Students with chronic health conditions

School nurses and other health care providers play a key role in managing students' chronic health conditions.

Keep Reading: Managing Chronic Health Conditions

Family engagement and chronic health conditions

Involving families in school health activities can be an important way to support students with chronic health conditions. Families can then encourage schools to provide a healthy environment and health services. These relationships can promote ongoing communication among the school, family, and health care providers. All play a role in following the health care plan for that student.

There are several benefits to family engagement in school health services. When there is good communication between the family and the school nurse, each can inform and support the other with:

  • Health status updates.
  • Timely delivery of medication.
  • Testing during the school day as needed—such as blood sugar levels for students with diabetes.
  • Dietary and physical activity considerations.

Resources

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Content Source:
Division of Adolescent and School Health; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion