numerous legal issues

numerous legal issues

School nurses confront numerous legal issues in their daily work. It is important to know the standards of nursing practice specific to the state of licensure, as well as legal limitations and responsibilities of the school nurse.

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Role of the School Nurse
It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses that the professional registered school nurse is the leader in the school community to oversee school health policies and programs. The school nurse serves in a pivotal role to provide expertise and oversight for the provision of school health services and promotion of health education. Using clinical knowledge and judgment, the school nurse provides health care to students and staff, performs health screenings, and coordinates referrals to the medical home or private health care provider. The school nurse serves as a liaison between school personnel, family, community and healthcare providers to advocate for health care and a healthy school environment (American Nurses Association & National Association of School Nurses, 2011).

Reference
American Nurses Association & National Association of School Nurses. (2011). Role of the school nurse. Retrieved from http://www.nasn.org/PolicyAdvocacy/PositionPapersandReports/NASNPositionStatementsFullView/tabid/462/smid/824/ArticleID/87/

You are the parent of two teenagers and an active PTA member at their school. The principal approached you about an upcoming professional gathering for middle- and high-school nurses in your district. She asked you to make a short presentation on school health privacy and how it can affect nurse-student care within the teen population, where personal health issues and privacy concerns often collide.

Preparation
Research and gather information about the issues facing school nurses in your state of licensure, as well as state and federal privacy laws that govern your school health privacy information. You will also need to learn about the legal limitations and responsibilities of the school nurse.

Directions
Create a 6–8-slide PowerPoint presentation that examines the privacy issues unique to nurses serving the high-school age population. Address the following:

Describe the types of health and wellness issues that can affect adolescents in their high-school years. Be sure you think beyond the usual things and really research the types of issues that are affecting young people today.
Explain how privacy laws can impact the school nurse in regard to patient safety and health outcomes for adolescents.
Explain how privacy laws benefit the student, the school, and the school nurse.
Recommend two specific evidence-based ethical strategies regarding health and wellness privacy communications in a school environment.
Use the notes section of each slide to expand your points and cite your supporting evidence. Also, include a title slide and a reference slide that lists the resources you used in this assessment.

Be creative. Consider your intended audience.