What are School Health Services and School Nurse Services

Introduction

School health services have long been a part of IDEA’s related services definition. This Parent Teacher Conference Handout provides basic information for parents who may have a child with a health-related issue attending school. In IDEA 2004, the term has been changed to school health services and school nurse services, with the following definition at §300.34(c)(13):

(13) School health services and school nurse services means health services that are designed to enable a child with a disability to receive FAPE as described in the child’s IEP. School nurse services are services provided by a qualified school nurse. School health services are services that may be provided by either a qualified school nurse or other qualified person.

Returning to an issue that was raised under Medical Services, many children with disabilities, especially those who are medically fragile, could not attend school without the supportive services of school nurses and other qualified people. Over the years, the extent of the health-related services that are provided in schools has grown, as might be expected when you consider medical advances in the last decade alone. In Cedar Rapids Community School District v. Garret F., the question of whether public agencies are responsible for providing health-related supports that are complex or continuous was settled. They are, “only to the extent that the services allow a child to benefit from special education and enable a child with a disability to receive FAPE” (71 Fed. Reg. at 46574-5). What was previously called “school health services” in IDEA has been expanded to distinguish between services that are provided by a qualified nurse and those that may be provided by other qualified individuals.

States and local school districts often have guidelines that address school health services and school nurse services. These may include providing such health-related support as:

• special feedings;
• clean intermittent catheterization;
• suctioning;
• the management of a tracheostomy;
• administering and/or dispensing medications;
• planning for the safety of a child in school;
• ensuring that care is given while at school and at school functions to prevent injury (e.g., changing a child’s position frequently to prevent pressure sores);
• chronic disease management; and
• conducting and/or promoting education and skills training for all (including the child) who serve as caregivers in the school setting.

In conclusion,School health services staff can help all students with preventive care such as flu shots and vision and hearing screening, as well as acute and emergency care. Qualified professionals such as school nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, health educators, physicians, physician assistants and allied health personnel provide these services.

For students with chronic health conditions, school nurses and other health care providers play a large role in the daily management of their conditions. School health services staff also are responsible for coordinating care by communicating with the student’s family and health care providers so that they can stay healthy and ready to learn.