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.

School Nurse Summer To-Do List

School Nurse Summer Checklist

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Hopefully Helpful School Nurse Tip: I enjoy using the summer months to relax and reflect, but I also dedicate some of this time to prepare for the upcoming school year. I'm paid to work 10 extra days in July; are you? Here are ten items on my summer to-do list.

Do school nurses get the summers off?

Every school district is different, but many school nurses don't get 'the entire summer off'—sad, but true. For example, I am paid to work ten extra days during the summer. Eight of those days are assigned, and I can schedule the other two myself.

Since last year was dominated by COVID-19, I'm a bit behind schedule. I have a few state reports to finish before diving into my top ten summer to-do list. How does this list compare to yours?

While the list might seem specific to my situation, I hope it helps you organize your summer tasks. Feel free to add or delete items to tailor it to your needs and your school. Being prepared over the summer ensures a smoother start to the new school year, making our jobs as school nurses more manageable and effective.

TOP TEN SUMMER TO-DO FOR THE SCHOOL NURSE

1. Contact Parents- Use the summertime to contact parents for updates on medications, health concerns, and needed action plans. I use Skylert or Skyward message center,  email, and Google forms and/or hyperlinks to the Health Center portion of the school website.  How do you contact parents and Why do you contact parents prior to the new school year?
2. Summer Clinics- Each year I try to offer an onsite option for required school physical exams, sports exams, and MCV4, HPV, and COVID vaccines too.  This is always a community collaboration with a local medical provider and our local health department (LHD) too. These clinics are not free to parents, but many take advantage of them because of they are very convenient. Does your school or district offer any onsite healthcare clinics?
3. Emergency Bag & Meds- Check expiration dates of the emergency medications kept at your school and order new as needed.  Also, check your emergency bag/box. Replenish items as needed, switch what didn't work and keep what did! What type of emergency bag do you have?  Are all of your items in working order, do you need to add/remove anything? I also restock office medical supplies via the district Amazon account. You can see many of my must have items HERE, Then check out the changes I've made over the years to my emergency bag here: 
1. Emergency Bag 2012 
2. Emergency Bag 2020 
3. Emergency Box 2021
4. Incoming Charts- I work in a public high school setting. Upon entry, each student receives a "school health chart". I fill these charts with forms I receive from the "feeder schools"; making sure to take time to look over the information for any students with chronic health conditions and make a note for future use. Most of our immunizations are imported via a Skyward "dump". The remaining ones get manually entered prior to the beginning of the year (hopefully). How do you keep track of health forms for your individual students? The school health charts I use are created with a manila folder and a 5x8 index card- both with stickers including: 
1. Last Name, First Name MI
2. DOB
3. Student ID # (read more about them here) 
5. Community Collaboration- My school is lucky enough to have a volunteer Moms Who Care group! Since I am the school liaison, I meet with them at least once over the summer to discuss our plans for the upcoming school year.  I also contact the local doctor who is willing to sign orders for our emergency meds and AEDs. Previous Moms Who Care posts HERE. Can you think of a community group that can help your students meet their needs?
6. Staff  Meetings- Thankfully my school doesn't have summer staff meetings! However, there is one meeting I am usually asked to speak at. That is the "Coaches Meeting". I give a brief asthma and allergy overview along with a quick CPR update/review. The Athletic Trainer talks more specifics too. We also have the CPR manikins and AED trainer available for hands on practice. Do you have any summer meetings or staff trainings that you need to plan for? FREE Medication Training Slides
7. AED Monthly Checklist Updates- Many school nurse duties have to be completed at a specific time throughout the school year. However, I have found that creating a new AED monthly checklist form during the summer works best for me. This is actually a duty that doesn't have to be completed by the school nurse. If you are struggling to complete everything then maybe ask about delegating this duty to another staff member. Are you in charge of monthly AED checks; if so, how do you document this duty?
8. Student Data Collection- It is not enough to tell people (admin/school board) how busy you are. You need to show them too.  One simple way to do this is to collect basic data on the visits to the nurse's office. I've created a very basic Google form to help you get started. You can edit this form to add information you would like to keep track of. If you want to include specific teacher names, treatment options, or common complaints for easy selection then you can edit and add those to this form. Compile the results at the end of the year and create an end-of-year report to share with your Board Of Education and school administrators. I do every year using Canva- it is simple and easy. I usually keep it to two pages to highlight a few key points from the year. How do you track and report your yearly data?

   

   
   
9. Registration Day- Most schools offer some sort of registration day for students- either in person or online. Either way, there are always papers and plans that need to be reviewed, shared and filed. For in person registration, I prefer to have a print out of the state health requirements to reference and to share with parents if needed. I also have access to a computer and bring plastic bankers boxes to organize charts- those I need to review, those that can be filed, and those needing follow up of some sort. Is your registration online or in-person?  How and what do you need to prepare?
10. Emails / Voicemails- Each summer I enable an automatic "out of office" email response. I still glance at my emails at least daily, but I do not respond to them unless emergent. Also, my office does not have voicemail- you read that correct- there is no voicemail option. I am certain I will have over two hundred emails- some junk, some informational, and some that I will need to respond to or follow up in some way. Do you answer work emails over the summer months?
11. ELEVEN- everything else- ha ha :)

I hope this helps you feel more prepared... What did I miss?  What else are you curious about?  Let me know and I will try to help.  elisabeth@theschoolnurse.llc

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