School Nurse Certificate Program Overview
Are you a nurse with a bachelor’s degree who currently works in a school setting or would like to? Our School Nurse Certificate Program prepares you to focus your career on the special knowledge and skills required for the school setting.
School nurses are leaders who bridge the gap between healthcare and education to promote the health and academic outcomes of all students.
What to Expect
The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) defines school nursing as a specialized nursing practice that:
- Protects and promotes student health.
- Facilitates optimal development for all students.
- Advances academic success.
This graduate-level certificate program will ground you in ethical, evidence-based practice. It will also prepare you to provide care coordination, advocate for student-centered care and collaborate on systems on an interprofessional level.
Program Benefits
School Nurse Program benefits include:
- Fully online
- Rolling admission with five starting points per year
- Flexibility in pace of program completion
- Innovative curriculum aligned with Scope and Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice and the NASN (School Nursing Practice FrameworksTM)
- Direct contact with the program director
- 13-16 credit hours of online coursework
- Graduate credit
- School nurse cognate for Master of Education in Adult Education through the College of Education
How Do I Know if This Program Is Right for Me?
Embarking on the journey to obtain an Ohio School Nurse Certificate opens doors to a fulfilling and impactful career in the field of school nursing. As a certified school nurse, you'll play a crucial role in promoting student health and wellness, ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment for all. Your days will be filled with diverse responsibilities, from conducting health screenings and assessments to providing direct care for students with chronic conditions and administering medications as needed.
Learning Experiences
The program consists of online coursework and a 160- to 320-hour internship in a school setting. The amount of internship credit required is determined by the type of previous experience as a nurse in a school setting.
The school nurse intern can complete their internship at their current place of employment, provided they receive approval from both their employer and the university. If the intern is not currently employed within a district or school, they will need to arrange a clinical placement with a nearby district.
Upon completion, you will:
- Deliver age-appropriate and culturally competent nursing care in the school setting.
- Demonstrate safe nursing practices in communication and information management.
- Use professional behavior skills to provide leadership in the practice of school nursing.
- Integrate evidence and research nursing to contribute to quality school nursing practice.
- Evaluate your own nursing practice in relation to professional practice standards and guidelines of school nursing.
- Promote a healthy, safe and collaborative practice environment.
- Meet the Ohio Department of Education requirement to apply for the Professional Pupil Services License as a School Nurse.
Curriculum
Learn more about the School Nurse Certificate curriculum by viewing the Academic Catalog.
| Course | Course Description | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SNP 518 | Health Determinants and Academic Indicators | 3 |
| SNP 520 | Educational Strategies for Healthcare Providers | 2-3 Students may choose 2 or 3 hours to best meet their needs. M.Ed. students require 3 hours. |
| SNP 525 | Health Care of the School Community | 3 |
| SNP 528 | Interprofessional Collaboration: The School Nurse and School Support Services | 3 |
| SNP 680 | School Nurse Internship | 2-4 Based upon previous experience in the school setting, determined through the internship approval process. M.Ed. students require 3-4 hours. |
| Total | 13-16 |
| Licensure Disclosure: This program is for students who intend to seek employment in Ohio and only prepares students for licensure in the state of Ohio. |
Admission Requirements
- Have and maintain an active unencumbered RN license.
- Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning.
- Have a minimum 3.0 GPA in previous or current higher education.
- Complete the School Nurse Certificate application.
Admission to the School Nurse Certificate program is on a rolling basis, so students may apply and begin coursework during any semester. No on-campus attendance is required.
Can You Give Me a Glimpse of My Future?
With your expertise in health education and advocacy, you'll empower students to make healthy choices and foster a culture of well-being within the school community. As a valued member of the educational team, you'll collaborate with teachers, administrators, parents and healthcare providers to address the unique health needs of students and promote academic success.