Employ a Licensed Nurse for Every School in The State of Minnesota

 

According to current Minnesota State Statutes, Licensed school nurses are only required in school districts with

enrollment of 1,000 students or more. Which makes up only 34% of the 325 districts. According to a survey taken in 2022

by the Minnesota Departments of Health and Education, approximately one in four school districts did not have any member

of staff tasked solely with providing health services for students. This bill would ensure that every student in the

state of Minnesota will get equal access to healthcare in their school by providing at least one full-time nurse.

 

 

Nurses are an absolute necessity in all schools, and often help to improve safety as well as mental and physical health.

They provide essential care, management to students with conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and food

allergies; as well as assisting with 504 plans and student accommodations. Along with providing students with simple,

day to day care that may prevent them from learning. School nurses are at most times the most utilized and occasionally

only healthcare provider for children.

A quote from the National Association of School Nurses. “School nursing, a specialized practice of nursing, protects and

promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. School nurses, grounded in

ethical and evidenced-based practice are the leaders who bridge health care and education, provide care coordination,

advocate for quality student-centered care and collaborate to design systems that allow individuals and communities to

develop their full potential.”

Therefore, in order to provide equity in childhood health care, a full-time licensed nurse must be employed at every

school in Minnesota.

 

 

Licensed Nurse: a person with a bachelor's degree, or higher in nursing education, and a current professional nurse

license for MN board of Nursing, according to MN Department of Health.

 

This plan would require approximately 30 million dollars to fund the future nurses for the upcoming school year in

addition to the preexisting funding. This cost would cover salary and training. This would come from Minnesota's

school-based community services or SBCS. This program allows schools to bill medicaid and other service providers to

benefit students.

 

Mandated remedial action or loss of funding.

 

the beginning of the 2028-2029 school year.