School Health

What Do School Nurses Do?

School nurses function as part of the school's multi-disciplinary team to facilitate the connection between physical health, wellness, and learning.  Working with other health professionals and ancillary personnel, the school nurse provides services for students that promotes optimum health for academic success.  The school nurse provides the necessary professional expertise to identify, assess, plan, implement, and evaluate the health needs of the school community.  Program emphasis is directed toward prevention of disease and promotion of health utilizing health services, health counseling, and health education.  School nurses also ensure compliance with vaccination requirements and also assist school teams in understanding the impact of concussions in youth.

The program allows for nurses in each school, which, by helping students to maintain physical health, helps foster their educational achievement. School nurses administer medication and assess student illnesses and consult with parents, teachers and counselors. Nursing services are provided through a partnership between Charles County Public Schools and the Charles County Health Department.

In accordance with Maryland law, students entering the school system, kindergarten, first grade and eighth grade, as well as students who are referred by teachers or parents, receive vision and hearing screening. For more information, call 301-934-7326.

The school nursing partnership formed between Charles County Public Schools and the Health Department in 1997. The program, which started as a pilot and expanded to all schools, provides ongoing health services to students and staff.

More information on health service in Maryland is available on the Maryland School Health Services Website.

Role of a School Nurse

• Serves as a health advocate for your child 
• Serves as a link to medical resources
• Assesses illnesses and injuries
• Delivers first-aid treatment
• Communicates with parents
• Communicates with staff
• Monitors immunizations for compliance to Maryland law
• Administers medications
• Performs health screenings and follow-up per Maryland law
• Participates on school teams
• Monitors communicable infections