School Vaccination Requirements

SCHOOL REQUIRED VACCINATIONS

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School Nurse Tip: Let’s chat about something super important for students- vaccinations! It's not the most thrilling topic, but "stick" with me as we discuss their importance.

Understanding The Importance of Vaccinations

First things first, vaccinations are all about keeping our kids healthy and safe. These vaccines protect against serious diseases like measles, mumps, and whooping cough. You might think, “Those are old-timey illnesses, right?” Well, they can still make a comeback if we’re not careful. Vaccines help ensure those diseases (and more) stay in the past.

States require immunizations for children to attend schools to protect public health and ensure a safe learning environment. Here are some key reasons behind this requirement:

1. Preventing Disease Outbreaks: Immunizations help prevent the spread of contagious diseases like measles, mumps, and whooping cough. Schools are environments where children are in close contact, making it easier for diseases to spread if students are not vaccinated.

2. Herd Immunity: When a high percentage of the population is vaccinated, it helps protect those who cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions, such as allergies or compromised immune systems. This concept, known as herd immunity, reduces the overall incidence of disease.

3. Protecting Vulnerable Populations: School immunization requirements help protect children who are at higher risk for severe complications from vaccine-preventable diseases, such as those with chronic health conditions.

4. Compliance with Public Health Policies: Immunization requirements are part of broader public health policies aimed at reducing the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases. These policies are based on recommendations from health authorities like the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

5. Reducing Health Care Costs: Preventing outbreaks through vaccination reduces the economic burden on the healthcare system by decreasing the need for medical treatments, hospitalizations, and public health interventions during disease outbreaks. There may also be fewer sick days for students and missed work for their parents. 

6. Educational Continuity: Vaccinations go through rigorous testing to ensure they're safe and effective. Not many people enjoy getting shots, but the benefits tend to outweigh the brief discomfort. By preventing outbreaks, immunization requirements help maintain regular school attendance and minimize disruptions in education caused by illness.

REOURCES

• AAP
• CDC- BY STATE
• NASN

Understanding the importance of vaccinations for students is important, but so is learning how to organize student vaccination information efficiently. This PDF guide, 'Vaccination Organization,' is only $1. It offers essential strategies, practical tips, and valuable resources to help school nurses maintain orderly and accurate vaccination records.

Sign up for all of details HERE ...

https://theschoolnurse.llc/vaccination-organization-for-school-nurses

Tracking student immunization records can take a lot of time. 

Good news- if you're a school nurse in Illinois then you can apply to have access to student immunization records via I-Care an Illinois online portal- get more information & apply for your own account today! I-Care- Illinois Online Vaccination Portal

 Check out these other popular DOASN blog posts & product links.

How do school nurses organize their school nurse offices?

 One of the most important tasks for any new school nurse is office organization!

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Hopefully Helpful School Nurse Tip:  You might think waiting to organize your office when you have more time is best practice. However, I'm here to tell you that taking time now to organized your office will actually save you time in the long run!  Ready to get started?

How to Organize Your School Nurse Office

Your office isn’t just a place to store bandages and paperwork- it’s the heart of your school health operations. From daily visits to medical emergencies, how your space is organized can directly impact how effectively you care for students.

I personally like to set up my office into designated health stations, with flexibility to adapt based on the needs of students and staff. Here’s how you can get started:

Suggested Health Stations:

Think about how students move through your space and the types of care you provide. Here are a few functional areas to consider:

• Treatment Area – Basic first aid supplies, ice packs, cleaning solutions

• Medication Station – Lockable storage, MAR sheets, medication guides

• Diabetes Care Station – Glucometers, snacks, care plans, emergency supplies

• Documentation Area – FERPA forms, student files, consent forms, district health policies

• Isolation/Rest Area – A cot, thermometer, PPE, cleaning supplies

Defining these spaces helps you stay organized and makes it easier for students and staff to know where they'll go and what to expect.

Why Stations Work:

Having defined spaces means everything has a place. That means less time looking for supplies and more time focusing on student care. A clear layout also helps during emergencies- when you don’t want to be searching for a med cabinet key or a care plan binder.

Stay Flexible

The needs of your students may change throughout the year. Don’t be afraid to shift things around. I reevaluate my setup each semester; especially when adding new students with medical needs or updating emergency protocols.

Remember: Safety & Privacy

Be sure your layout supports confidentiality and student privacy as much as possible. Lock up student medications, keep records secure, and follow your state’s Nurse Practice Act and district policies on storage and documentation.

Need more school nurse office organization inspiration? Check out these links to real school nurse offices:

 

Digital Student Health History Form

 

Digital Health History Form for Students

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Digital Health History Form for Students

Keeping student health information up to date is an important part of school nursing practice. Knowing your students' current health conditions can help you plan for their needs, identify students who may need an Individualized Healthcare Plan (IHP) or Emergency Action Plan (EAP), and provide appropriate care throughout the school day.

A digital student health history form can provide an easy and organized way for parents and guardians to share updated health information with the school nurse.

Health History Purpose

The purpose of this digital student health history form is to provide an easier, yet formal way, for the school nurse to gather (collect data) on medical conditions for current students. Although this digital form is 100% editable, it currently offers parents a way to inform the nurse of the following:

• Current health concerns

• Explanation of the health concern

• Description of how the health concerns impacts the student's school day

• Requested accommodations the might benefit the student throughout the school day

• Doctor contact information

As you can see, this digital health history form provides parents a chance to subjectively provide the school nurse with an overview of their child's current health conditions. The school nurse can then ask for needed / required follow up information from the student's parents and/or physician.

How To Collect A Student Health History

Have you ever had a parent call with an important health update—or had a student casually mention something you didn't previously know?

Those conversations can provide valuable information, but having updated health information documented in writing can make follow-up much easier.

A digital health history form can be shared with families at the beginning of the school year, during registration, when a student enrolls, or anytime a student's health status changes.

If you're using a Google Form, remember to review your notification and response settings so you have a reliable process for knowing when new information has been submitted.

After reviewing a response, follow up with the family as needed to:

• Clarify health information
• Request additional medical documentation or healthcare provider orders
• Discuss school accommodations or supports
• Determine whether an IHP, EAP, 504 Plan, or other documentation may be appropriate
• Discuss how relevant health information will be communicated to appropriate school staff

Why a Health History Is Important

Accurate student health histories are important. Knowing what to do with that information is even more important.

Digital Health Records

Many schools use electronic student information systems to maintain student records. Determine how health information should be documented within your district's system and whether health conditions can be entered, tracked, and reported.

Taking the time to maintain accurate records throughout the year can make reviewing student needs—and preparing end-of-year reports—much easier.

Health Condition Lists

Many moons ago, I created Excel spreadsheets to track student health concerns because that was the best option I had!

Thankfully, today's student information systems often make this much easier. Depending on your system, you may be able to generate reports by health condition, grade level, graduation year, teacher, or other criteria.

These reports can help you understand the health needs within your school population and provide valuable data when preparing reports for administrators, supervisors, or your school board.

Individualized Healthcare Plans

Information gathered through a health history can help identify students who may need an Individualized Healthcare Plan (IHP). 

Review each student's individual needs along with your district policies, state requirements, nursing standards, and professional nursing judgment when determining appropriate health planning and documentation.

Emergency Action Plans

Students with health conditions that have the potential to become a medical emergency during the school day may require an Emergency Action Plan (EAP).

The health history can help identify students who need additional follow-up with their parent/guardian and healthcare provider to ensure appropriate emergency plans, orders, medications, and supplies are available at school.

Medication Forms

Knowing which medications a student takes can help the school nurse understand the bigger picture of the student's health.

If medication needs to be administered during school hours, follow your state requirements and district policies regarding healthcare provider orders, parent/guardian authorization, medication documentation, and administration.

Nursing Procedures

Health history information may also identify students who require nursing procedures during the school day, such as tube feedings, catheterization, suctioning, dressing changes, or other skilled nursing care.

Follow applicable state requirements, district policies, provider orders, and nursing standards when developing an appropriate plan of care for these students.

One Form Can Be the Starting Point

A student health history form doesn't replace nursing assessment or individualized follow-up. Instead, it gives the school nurse a starting point.

The information families provide can help you identify students who need additional assessment, documentation, healthcare provider orders, emergency planning, accommodations, or other school health support.

And having a consistent system for collecting that information can make the process much more manageable—especially at the beginning of a busy school year.

Looking for an easier way to collect student health information?

My editable Digital Student Health History Form can be customized for your school and shared electronically with families.

              

ILLINOIS SCHOOL NURSE REFERENCES:

Illinois General Assembly (Full Article)

https://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp...

Illinois General Assembly Codes (Child Health Examination Code, 77 Ill. Adm. Code 665) https://www.ilga.gov/.../admincode/077/07700665sections.html

Illinois State Board of Education: Health Requirements

https://www.isbe.net/.../Health-Requirements-Student...

Each state has rules listing the minimum health requirements students must meet in order to attend school. 

Try searching your state + school health requirements to locate your specific state school health requirements.

OTHER SCHOOL NURSE REFERENCES:

2015 DOASN Lillian Wald Blog Post: http://diaryofaschoolnurse.blogspot.com/search...

Complete List of Department of State Health Websites: https://www.cdc.gov/.../healthdire.../healthdepartments.html

Lillian Wald - Henry Street Settlement https://www.henrystreet.org/about/our-history/lillian-wald/

NASN School Health Documentation https://www.nasn.org/.../prof.../school-health-documentation

NCSL State Vaccination Policies: Requirements and Exemptions for Entering School https://www.ncsl.org/.../state-vaccination-policies...

Schools & Health: Our Nation's Investment https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232693/

State School Nurse Associations

https://www.nasn.org/nasn/about-nasn/affiliates

SUPPLIES TO STOCK THE SCHOOL NURSE'S OFFICE

The School Nurse's Supply Lists

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Helpful School Nurse Tip: Understanding your office budget and figuring out what supplies to purchase is always a challenge. Hopefully these suggestions helps you decide what items you need v. what items you want.

GENERAL OFFICE SUPPLIES

When you think about stocking your school nurse office, general office supplies might not make your first list. However, having the right office supplies to keep all of yourself organized throughout the year will actually save you time throughout the school year. You'll be amazed at the amount of paperwork and piles that go along with the paperwork! Try to come up with an office organization system that works for you. If what you're doing isn't working then give yourself permission to change and try something new until you find a system that works. 

Are you wondering what my #1 recommended general office supply is? It is the DOCUMENT SORTER!  I first shared this time saver on my Instagram account in 2019, but I had been using the device for many years prior. I purchased this one with my own money years ago and use it daily. I organized papers that I've reviewed and are ready to be filed by last name. This provides easy access to locate a paper if I need it again before I have time to actually file. This happens and before I had this document sorter I would have to thumb through stacks and stack of papers trying to find what I was looking for- can you related?  With this document sorter my "let me find that" time decreases- a lot!

Some school nurses have more than one of these time saving devices. You can sort by grade level, teacher, item (school physical, sports physical, emergency action plans, etc). Whatever works for you. The possibilities are endless. 

Purchase your very own document sorter time saver HERE.  

View other general office supplies HERE and HERE.

FIRST AID SUPPLIES

What first aid supplies should you keep in your office?  This is such a hard question to answer because it varies from state to state and from school to school.  As the school nurse, you'll want to make sure you are practicing within your scope. You'll want to find out if your school district has physician standing orders for you to follow. You'll want to read up on your school district's policies and procedures for various health scenarios. Once you have all of those questions answered, then you'll know what sort of first aid supplies are appropriate for your school nurse's office. 

You can view some basic ideas here, but again- you'll want to make sure you know what you are allowed to use and what you are not allowed to use in your specific school.

                                          

BLOOD PRESSURE CUFFS

Should I check their blood pressure?  There may be times when you receive a doctor's order to check a blood pressure. There may be times when someone asks you to check their blood pressure. There may be an emergency when you want to check someone's blood pressure. Regardless of the situation; will you be prepared?  Do you have the proper size blood pressure cuffs to use and are they in good working order?  I personally purchased this one HERE and still use it!  I also have a large cuff available if needed; HERE.  This manual cuffs work great for me (coupled with my favorite stethoscope of course!). However, if there was an unlimited budget I would for sure order something similar to one of THESE! How about you?

STETHOSCOPES

Yes, school nurses use stethoscopes and I recommend having a good one too. My preference is Littmann. I appreciate how well the ear buds fit into my ears and how easily I can hear what I am listening to. What stethoscope is your preference?

Purchase the pictured Littmann stethoscope HERE and the colorful bracelets HERE.

THERMOMETERS

Assessing temperatures was one of the top duties during the 2020 -2021 school year. During the pandemic this responsibility was not reserved for school nurses only, it was shared with school administration, classroom teachers, and other school personnel too. Prior to the pandemic my favorite thermometer was the oral Welch Allyn SureTemp found HERE. I found this product to be accurate and very easy to use and clean. During the pandemic though, everyone seemed to make the switch to touchless forehead type thermometers, the one I used can found HERE. This one seemed accurate, but I found myself following up with an oral temp if I wanted to verify. 

ICE PACKS

I'll keep this section short because it should come as no surprise that ice packs are a staple in any school nurse office! There are a variety of ice packs available for purchase or to DIY. I prefer a countertop ice maker in my office with baggies wrapped with a paper towel. What is your preference? Also, check out this other DOASN blog post all about ice packs HERE.

MEDICATIONS &MEDICATION STATIONS

Medications! There is so much to say that I'm not sure where to start. Again, each school and school district might be a little different. First, know your nursing scope of practice within the state you are licensed and work in. Then, figure out your paperwork process for administering medications in the school setting. You can check out these digital resources on my Teachers Pay Teachers store HERE:

You'll also want to spend time defining a medication storage space in your office, spending time thinking about storage safety too. Also, do you have water available in your office for administration? Are there plenty of cups available too? These are all things to take into consideration when planning your office" medication station. Check out some traditional and unique storage supply options that might work in your office HERE.  In addition, here is a FREE training that might come in handy for you - it is editable too :)

PERIOD PRODUCTS 

Many states require the school provide period products to students for FREE. Is this a requirement in your state? In Illinois this is a requirement and you can read all about it HERE:  IL Public Act 100-0163  

I will link to several other articles with information you might find helpful:

1. NEA Period Poverty Article
2. P&G School Programs
3. Edweek.org Article 
4. FREE Teen Essentials Products- (please check availability) 

click to see how I got all of these supplies for FREE!

HYGIENE SUPPLIES

Besides period products, my school is lucky enough to never have to spend a penny on any sort of hygiene supply!  This luxury is made possible by the amazing volunteer group- Moms Who Care! If you have anyone in your community looking for a way to really make a difference then you should urge them to start their very own Moms Who Care in your school- you will not regret it. Contact them for more information :)

Thank you for reading! Stay safe & healthy!

 

Digital Student Health History Form

How School Nurses Can Collect Updated Student Health Information

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Helpful School Nurse Tip: Collecting updated student health information can help school nurses identify new diagnoses, changing health needs, medications, accommodations, and students who may need additional health planning during the school day.

Student health information can change from one school year to the next—or even during the school year. A new diagnosis, medication, procedure, or change in a chronic condition may affect a student's needs at school.

So, how do school nurses keep up with all of it?

There are several ways to gather and update student health information throughout the school year.

What Health Information Should You Collect?

A current student health history can help answer questions such as:

• Does the student have a current or past medical diagnosis that may impact their education or school day?
• Does the student need health-related accommodations or support at school?
• Does the student take medications at home or at school?
• Does the student have allergies or other health concerns?
• Could the student need an Individualized Healthcare Plan (IHP), Emergency Action Plan (EAP), 504 Plan, or other health-related documentation?
• Is additional information needed from the student's healthcare provider?

A health history doesn't provide all of the answers, but it can help you determine which questions need to be asked next.

Ways to Collect Student Health Information

Review Previous School Health Records

Previous school health records are a great place to start.

Review available health histories, physical examinations, medication records, action plans, nursing documentation, and other relevant health information.

This can give you a snapshot of previously identified health conditions and help you determine which students may need additional follow-up.

Talk With Parents and Students

How many times has a parent called with a new diagnosis—or a student stopped by your office and casually mentioned an ongoing health condition?

It happens!

Those conversations can provide valuable information, but they don't always happen at the most convenient time. Take appropriate notes and follow up when additional information is needed.

When talking with families, consider asking how the health condition affects the student's school day, whether accommodations are needed, and whether there are updated healthcare provider recommendations, medications, or orders.

Follow Up by Email

After a phone call or in-person conversation, a follow-up email can be a helpful way to recap important information and request anything that is still needed.

Depending on the situation, you might:

• Review key points from the conversation
• Ask additional questions
• Request healthcare provider documentation or orders
• Discuss potential school accommodations
• Clarify how relevant health information will be communicated to appropriate staff
• Provide a link to your digital Student Health History Form

Having a consistent follow-up process can help keep important information from getting lost during a busy school day.

Use a Digital Student Health History Form

A digital health history form can provide families with an easy way to submit updated information while giving the school nurse a consistent system for collecting it.

I created a 100% editable Digital Student Health History Form that can be customized for your school and shared electronically with families.

If you use a Google Form or another digital system, make sure you have a process for regularly reviewing new responses and following up when needed.

When Should School Nurses Collect Health History Information?

Every school and district handles health information differently, but opportunities to collect or update student health histories may include:

• School registration
• Beginning-of-year health updates
• New student enrollment
• Annual registration or re-enrollment
• After notification of a new diagnosis
• When a student's health status changes
• When new medication or nursing needs are identified
• Through an ongoing link on the school or health office website
• As needed throughout the school year

Your process should reflect your school's procedures, district policies, state requirements, and the needs of your student population.

Once You Have the Information, What's Next?

Collecting the health history is only the beginning.

The information you receive may identify students who need additional assessment, healthcare provider documentation, medication or procedure orders, an Individualized Healthcare Plan (IHP), Emergency Action Plan (EAP), 504 accommodations, or other school health support.

I've written more about what to do with the information you collect in your student health histories HERE.

Make Collecting Health Information Easier

You don't have to start from scratch.

My Digital Student Health History Form is 100% editable, allowing you to customize the questions for your school or district and provide families with a convenient way to share updated student health information.

Use the information you collect as a starting point—and follow up based on each student's individual health and school needs.