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10 Good Reasons You Should Join VSSNA

Mission

The mission of VSSNA is to advance the practice of School Nursing and provide leadership in the delivery of quality health programs to the Vermont school community.

The Goals of the Association:

• To operate exclusively as an educational organization on a nonprofit basis; to promote and advance the quality of school health services and health education throughout the State of Vermont.
• To encourage school nurse to serve as a resource person in the area of health to teacher and other personnel; to promote activities for the improvement of comprehensive health education.
• To assist members in obtaining and maintaining high professional school nurse practices within the total school program under the administrative direction of the superintendent and principal of the school or schools to which the nurse is assigned.
• To provide and to encourage its members to pursue continuing Education.
• To inform and advise members on matters that have a critical bearing on the professional status in relation to state nursing standards, laws and regulations.
• To cooperate with other professional organizations, civic groups, and community agencies for the improvement of provision of health services for school children.

What is School Nursing?

School nursing is a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well-being, academic success and life-long achievement and health of students. To that end, school nurses facilitate positive student responses to normal development; promote health and safety including a healthy environment; intervene with actual and potential health problems; provide case management services; and actively collaborate with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self-management, self advocacy, and learning. (NASN 2010)

President’s Report

Spring Conference 3/31/12

Leadership/Advocacy/Communication: 

                There is never a lack of things to do I find in these past couple of months. Several issues pertaining to school health have come up in the legislature this year. Christine Ryan, lobbyist for the VSNA, and Ann Bannister have kept me appraised of these issues. A position statement was developed and circulated for board approval that was then sent on to Christine regarding the new legislative proposal to remove the philosophical exemption for immunizations. Paula Crossett, President-Elect, and I both provided testimony at the public hearing before the House Committee on March 21^st. There may be other requests in the near future as to what the school nurses position would be regarding oral health and CPR mandates. I will work with Ann on these issues as they arise. Nationally, our Vermont NASN Director has kept me informed of position statements and issue briefs which in turn have been shared with the general membership.

                The position of the School Nurse Consultant remains unfilled at this time. I continue to strongly encourage consideration of someone with a background and knowledge of school health.  As yet, there has been no talk of any Joint School Health meeting which I had asked for earlier in the school year.

                Our spring newsletter was circulated with the general membership electronically thanks to the generous volunteer work of our newsletter chair, Mandy Mayer! The newsletter provides a great way for members to share information and the work of the VSSNA. Promotion of school health issues , grand rounds, and conferences takes place.

                Our NING site has been available this school year and I sense some confusion for members as to what constitutes membership. This is an area of which the board will need to have some discussion as we have moved toward most communication being in an electronic format. Members are encouraged to provide feedback for us so that we can ensure we are reaching all members. Full access to the site occurs with paid annual membership dues to the VSSNA and expires at the start of the next school year on September 1^st. For those that haven’t paid dues for the 2011-2012 school year, full access will cease on April 1^st.

Education:

                I welcome all to this spring conference thanks to the hard work of our conference chair, Claire Molner.  All should have received by now the brochure for the New England School Nurse Conference that is being held in Plymouth, MA. Stay tuned for the plans that are underway for the NESNC to be held in Burlington in May of 2013. Anyone wishing to provide some assistance with that conference should see Claire Molner.

Respectfully submitted,

Lola Noyes, RN, BSN, President VSSNA