School nursing

School nursing is a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well being, academic success, and life-long achievement of students. To that end, school nurses facilitate positive student responses to normal human development; promote health and safety in the school environment; intervene with actual and potential health problems; provide case management services; and actively collaborate with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self-management, self-advocacy, and learning. This definition was adopted in the United States at the NASN Board of Directors meeting in Providence, Rhode Island in June 1999.

According to the American Federation of Teachers, there are approximately 45,000 school nurses employed in the United States alone, not to mention school nurses in other parts of the world. School nurses are often the only health professional serving students in an educational setting.