Supporting Students with Seizures in the School Setting

Seizures in the School Setting:

Information for New School Nurses

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During the 2025-2026 school year, I responded to two grand mal seizures just 24 hours apart.

Before I arrived, my staff had already begun implementing the student's Seizure Action Plan because they knew exactly what to do.

That's the goal. Good seizure preparedness isn't just about what the school nurse knows—it's about making sure everyone is prepared before an emergency happens. - Elisabeth The School Nurse LLC

Seizures can be one of the most intimidating emergencies school nurses encounter, especially when you're new to the role. The good news is that preparation makes all the difference.

By developing strong systems, educating school staff, reviewing Seizure Action Plans, and using evidence-based resources, you'll be well prepared to support students safely and confidently.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation: 

"Epilepsy is not a rare disorder, 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy during their lifetime. It can occur on its own or alongside other health conditions of the brain. What happens during a seizure may look different depending on who is experiencing them. However, seizures are usually stereotypic, which means the same things or behaviors tend to occur in a person each time they have a seizure." 

 Understanding Seizures and How They Affect Students

Students with seizure disorders may experience different types of seizures, from brief episodes to more complex situations. It’s important to recognize the signs and know how to provide support. When a seizure occurs, your calm, quick response will set the tone for the entire school community. Staff and students often mirror the school nurse’s reaction, so staying composed will help reassure everyone involved.

Know the Seizure Action Plan

Each student with a seizure disorder should have a Seizure Action Plan in place. This plan outlines what steps to take during a seizure, including emergency medications, whether emergency services should be contacted, and how to ensure the student’s safety. Review plans regularly. 

Review each student's Seizure Action Plan before the school year begins and anytime changes are made. The more familiar you are with the plan before an emergency occurs, the more confidently you'll respond.

If a Seizure Action Plan is not in place, follow your school's policy and procedure guidelines to respond appropriately.

Educate School Staff

Teachers and staff may not have the same medical knowledge as you. As a school nurse, part of your role is to educate them on what to do during a seizure, how to keep the student safe, and how to call for additional help. Consider providing brief refresher training each school year—even for experienced staff.

General Seizure First Aid – Stay, Safe, Side

• Stay with the student and time the seizure.
• Safe – Keep the area clear of hazards.
• Side – If possible, turn them on their side for safety.

(If a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, follow the Seizure Action Plan or call emergency services.)

State-Specific Laws and Policies

It’s also important to be aware of state-specific laws and policies that may impact how schools manage seizure disorders. For example, in Illinois, the Seizure Smart School Act requires schools to have Seizure Action Plans for students with epilepsy. It also mandates that schools designate "Delegated Care Aides" who are trained to assist in implementing these plans, ensuring that students receive the appropriate care and support they need during a seizure. Be sure to review your state’s specific laws to ensure compliance and best practices.

Don't Reinvent the Wheel

When educating staff, there's no need to reinvent the wheel. Many districts already have seizure protocols in place. You can also use reliable online resources to save time while ensuring your school staff is well-prepared. Here are a few helpful options:

• The School Nurse on Teachers Pay Teachers: Offers a set of "Teacher Tips" for educating staff on various seizure diagnoses.

• The Epilepsy Foundation: Provides a FREE Seizure Action Plan template, nurse (with CEs) & school staff trainings and other super useful tools.

• NASN (National Association of School Nurses): Offers resources specifically designed to help school nurses manage students with epilepsy.

You don't have to create every seizure resource yourself. Many excellent organizations have already developed evidence-based training materials, action plans, and staff education resources. 

By using these resources, you’ll ensure staff are informed and prepared to support students with seizures in a timely and effective way.

Supporting Students Beyond the Seizure

A seizure lasts minutes—but supporting a student lasts all school year.

As school nurses, we help students succeed by:

• reviewing Seizure Action Plans

• educating school staff

• coordinating emergency medications

• communicating with families and healthcare providers

• promoting inclusion and reducing stigma

• helping students safely participate in school activities

That feels more like your current writing style.

Closing Thoughts

Every school nurse hopes they never have to respond to a seizure emergency—but every school nurse should be prepared.

Preparation begins before the first seizure occurs by building strong systems, educating staff, reviewing Seizure Action Plans, and using trusted resources.

The more prepared you are today, the more confidently you'll respond tomorrow.

HERE IT IS!

              

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New School Nurse Resources

New School Nurse Resources Coming Your Way

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Hopefully Helpful School Nurse Tip: Starting your journey can be overwhelming, but you don't have to do it alone. The School Nurse LLC is here to help you navigate everything from daily tasks to bigger challenges, making your job easier and more rewarding. Sign up for our future emails to get exclusive tips, resources, and products made just for you.

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New School Nurse Advice

Advice For New School Nurses

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Hopefully Helpful School Nurse Tip: A new career as a school nurse can be overwhelming, but it can also be an exciting opportunity for growth and fulfillment. I'll post links below to relevant DOASN blog posts that will help you get started on your journey. Remember, starting a new career takes time and effort, but with dedication and perseverance, you can find a fulfilling and rewarding path.

Subscribe to the new school nurse email HERE, then check out the online, anytime 1 hour CE course created just for new school nurses HERE!

Welcome to the world of school nursing!

Hello New School Nurses!

Hi there! Welcome to your new career as a school nurse. This job is super important & involves a lot of different duties! You'll be helping to keep students, teachers, and everyone at school healthy & safe. Remember, you’ve got the skills and knowledge to handle whatever comes your way; you just might need a  little extra education and you've come to the right place for that! Again, welcome to school nursing! I hope you have a great and rewarding career.

        Sincerely, 

        Elisabeth AKA The School Nurse 

FAQs FOR NEW SCHOOL NURSES

Advocacy & Support

Advocacy and support for school nurses are crucial for ensuring the health and well-being of students and school staff. School nurses play a critical role in promoting health education, providing preventative care, and managing chronic conditions. By advocating for school nurses, we can ensure that schools have the resources and support necessary to provide quality healthcare services to students.

Supporting school nurses can lead to improved academic outcomes as healthy students are better able to focus and learn. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize advocacy and support for school nurses to maintain a healthy school environment and promote student success.

RESOURCES

List of State Association of School Nurses

National Association of School Nurses

Overseas School Health Nurses Association

Mentorship & Networking

Networking and mentoring are both beneficial for school nurses, but they serve different purposes. 

Networking involves building relationships with other professionals in the same field or industry, which can lead to new job opportunities, sharing of resources and ideas, and expanding one's knowledge and skills. On the other hand, mentoring involves a more personal relationship between a more experienced school nurse and a less experienced school nurse, where the mentor provides guidance, support, and advice on career development and professional growth. 

While networking can be done with multiple people, mentoring typically involves a one-on-one relationship. Finding a mentor is important for new school nurses.  A mentor can offer advice on how to handle difficult situations, share best practices, and provide insight into the unique challenges of working in a school setting. 

In addition, having a mentor can help new school nurses build confidence and establish a professional network. Overall, finding a mentor can be a valuable resource for new school nurses as they navigate their role and responsibilities in the school healthcare setting.  

School nurses can find networking & mentorship opportunities via online avenues. Check out a few online resources listed below.

  

RESOURCES

Google Search Results "School Nurse Mentor"

Google Search Results "School Nurse Networking"

The School Nurse Facebook Page

The School Nurse Public Group

The School Nurse Private Group

   

Duties & Responsibilities

School nurses have a variety of duties and responsibilities. Not only are they responsible for managing student health records, administering medications and treatments, and providing first aid and emergency care; they also may be responsible for conducting health screenings, developing and implementing health education programs, and collaborating with other healthcare professionals to ensure the overall health and well-being of students. 

School nurses play a critical role in promoting a healthy school environment and supporting the academic success of students.  The duties and responsibilities of each school nurse should be defined with state practice guidelines and school district needs.

RESOURCES

Legal Resources for School Nurses https://amzn.to/3D4b1JM

School Nurse Resource Manual https://amzn.to/3D8JfLT

School Nursing: Scope & Practice of Standards https://amzn.to/3O4iChM

Routines & Boundaries

Establishing a daily routine with clear boundaries (including taking a lunch break) can be essential for school nurses. Routines can help you manage your workload effectively, ensure that they have time for self-care, and prevent burnout. 

Remember, you are setting a healthy example for your students and staff too. Would you encourage them to skip lunch daily or eat while working?  If not, then you need to prioritize your lunch break too. Taking your lunch break can help you recharge, attend to their personal needs, and ultimately provide better care to students. It is important to prioritize self-care and establish healthy habits to maintain overall well-being and provide the best possible care to those in need.

RESOURCES

Boundaries

Boundaries at Work

From Burnout to Purpose

Organization & Decor

Having an organized school nurse's office is crucial for several reasons:

1. It ensures that all necessary medical supplies and equipment are easily accessible and readily available when needed. This can be critical in emergency situations where time is of the essence. 
2. An organized office helps to maintain a clean and sanitary environment, minimizing the risk of infections or the spread of illness. It can also help to streamline administrative tasks, such as record-keeping and inventory management, allowing nurses to spend more time providing care to patients. 
3. An organized nurse's office is essential for providing efficient, effective, and high-quality healthcare services.

School nurses spend a lot of time at work, take the time to create a space that is functional and makes you feel good. An aesthetically pleasing office space is important for several reasons:

1. It sets the tone; a visually appealing workspace can impress students & staff, helping to create a professional and trustworthy image for your school. 
2. Creating a positive and comfortable work environment can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction.
3. A well-designed office space can also reflect the values and culture of your school and your professional values as well. 

RESOURCES

 

Funding & Budgets & Supplies

Public school budgets are the financial plans that outline how funds will be allocated to various school programs and services. The funding for school nurse staff is typically included in the overall budget and varies depending on factors such as the size of the school district, the number of schools, and the student population. Funding can come from a variety of sources, including federal and state grants, local property taxes, and fundraising efforts. 

School nurse staff play an important role in promoting student health and wellness, and it is essential that schools allocate adequate funding to ensure that students have access to quality healthcare services.  

One way to provide quality is to have the supplies you need & to know where (& how) to purchase those supplies. You'll want to find out what your school year budget is and what you are required to purchase from that budget & from where you can purchase items. 

The easiest way for me to get supplies is to place a purchase order with the assigned person at my school district through our Amazon Business account! This account offers no tax and quick (usually two day), free shipping! You can view all of my supply lists HERE.

OTHER RESOURCES

 

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RESET Your nursing career- Consider being a school nurse!

5 Reasons to Consider Being a School Nurse

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Hopefully Helpful School Nurse Tip:  Adults spend many, many hours working. Hopefully you have a job you LOVE. There are countless numbers of nurses who LOVE working as school nurses! Are you one of them? Do you wish you were?  Read on...

Craving a career where you have the ability to build an atmosphere of acceptance, provide health education, & disease prevention skills? A career filled with countless unbelievable stories to share with all of your nursing friends? If so, being a school nurse might be a nursing career for you!

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There are so many wonderful aspects to this career, but I only have time to share a few with you. Read on to discover (in my opinion) five features of this nursing specialty that may help you RESET your nursing career as a school nurse!

Read on for more details

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Tired of not having enough time to spend with your patients, tired of feeling too rushed to really care? School nurses are very busy, but they also have the capability of really getting to know their patients, their students! They have the pleasure of working with their students, student families, & school staff for many years in a row. Imagine the impact a school nurse can make on the minds of those they have the gift of helping & educating day-after-day and school year-after-school year?

Building ongoing relationships is one of the major highlights of being a school nurse. Many school nurses receive notes of thanks and appreciation from current and previous students, families, and even staff members throughout their school nursing careers and even after!

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School nurses enjoy the challenge of making each student visit an educational opportunity to teach health promotion and disease prevention & care for the medical needs of their students on a daily basis. They take an active role in the daily health needs of students by providing minor fist aid care, caring for ill children, and monitoring state school health requirements for students.

In addition, it is not uncommon for school nurses to follow doctor orders to administer medications and g-tube feedings, monitor asthma and CF peak flows and/or O2 levels, and help with carb counts and insulin dosing. All the while teaching students to understand their health needs and how to advocate for themselves.

Some say it takes a perfect mix of art and science to work as a school nurse in the education setting. School nurses are usually the only medical professional within the walls of a school and therefore have a great deal of responsibility for those inside the school. They must be ready to respond to a potential medical emergency at any given time.

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There are a variety of school settings available for nurses ranging from early education, elementary school, middle school, high school and beyond; there are even remote school nurse positions available. Each setting has unique responsibilities, challenges and opportunities.

Regardless of the setting, school nurses are needed in every school. The percentage of children with chronic health needs attending school increases each year and so, there is a considerable need for nurses to be present in each and every school setting.

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School nursing is the perfect environment for a confident nurse who appreciates working autonomously or with a small team.

School nurses should have an office area they are able to arrange and organize in a way they see fit to maximize the space and provide a good work flow for the daily office routine.

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Another amazing bonus of working as a school nurse is the work time with a set schedule! Even though a school nurse's office can be very involved, busy and chaotic, there is a routine of sorts. With that routine comes a set end to each work day and the promise of a fresh start the next school day.

In addition to the set work schedule, there is also the potential for personal and sick days. Also, the majority of school districts have school calendars planned months in advance which include scheduled days off and holiday breaks! i.e. SUMMER

These guaranteed days off and scheduled breaks provide a school nurses an opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends, read books for fun, catch up on personal appointments, work a part time job, and/or just relax, sleep in and drink coffee any time of the day or night!

FIND A SCHOOL NURSE JOB HERE

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