The School Nurse’s Role in Mental Health
School is often one of the first places where mental health issues in youth begin to be recognized. Parents can become conditioned to the actions and reactions of their child, failing to realize that a personality trait or quirk is a sign of something bigger. However, once these children reach school age, school nurses are often the first to assess students showing irregular behavior.
Below are some essential ways school nurses play a role in identifying, aiding, and supporting children with mental health challenges:
Identification and Referral
Among all of their other important physical health-related tasks, school nurses need to have an understanding of the signs and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. Working with teachers to recognize these signs in students is one of the most important parts of the role of school nurses in mental health care.
Medication Administration and Monitoring
Once a student has been diagnosed with a mental illness, school nurses will likely be tasked with administering any prescribed medications. Nurses should educate themselves on the interactions and side effects of the prescriptions and monitor for potential issues. Sharing information with parents and the prescribing doctors about the results they have noticed is important to successful care.
Provide a Safe Haven
School nurses can also help to provide a haven for students who are struggling with mental illness. They may need a place of calm and quiet to help them through an episode of anxiety. Some might simply need a little isolation from others, but without the stigma of being sent to the principal. The school nurse typically has the space to allow their office to be a quiet place for children with mental health challenges to reset.
Contributing to the Overall Care Team
Checking in with teachers and counselors to see how the student is coping in the classroom is another responsibility that school nurses have. It is important to help uncover any red flags so that a different course of action can be taken to ensure the child is getting the care they need to live their healthiest life.
