school nurses — Blog — Sage Perspectives Blog

Human Trafficking could happen anywhere. Here's how we can be equipped to respond.

Headlines inflaming fears about human trafficking of children dominate news outlets and community social media discussions. Parents are terrified of scary strangers lurking in grocery store parking lots. They feel compassion for victims they perceive as threatened by traffickers prowling United States borders. The uncomfortable truth lies much closer to home. In reality, parents should be more afraid of the thousands of strangers regularly invited into the bedroom of unsuspecting children each night through social media in a world where trafficking is moving from the street to the smartphone.

The School Nurse: An Important Relationship for Families of Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

We conducted family interviews with families of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus, in order to better understand the stress that these families experience and the role that school nurses play in supporting these families. We had some interesting findings!

Editor's Picks, ResearchMoazzma ArshadOctober 9, 2023diabetes, type 1 diabetes, school nurses, diabetes mellitus

School Nurses' Role in Reducing Firearm Injuries and Deaths

Gun violence is an issue that hits close to home for many individuals, including the authors of this blog. We are school nurses, Laurie Combe and Robin Cogan, who have family members directly impacted by firearm deaths. In our article titled "School Nurses Can Reduce Firearm Injuries and Deaths," we discuss the important role school nurses can play in addressing responsible firearm storage and promoting safety within schools. By viewing the problem through a public health lens, school nurses can make a significant impact on reducing violence and creating safer environments.

Research, Editor's PicksWehida NiaziJuly 14, 2023school nurses, firearm, gun violence

School Nurses Reflect on Navigating Challenges and Inspiring Change for a Better Future

Last spring, my colleagues and I had the honor of speaking to school nurses about their experiences working through the COVID-19 pandemic. We knew from our own work experiences and from hearing the stories of others that school nurses faced many challenges personally and professionally during the pandemic. School nurses were recipients of aggressive behaviors (see news article, after news article, after news article!), managed confusion over disease mitigation policies (again, news piece after news piece!), and risked their own health and safety so that schoolchildren could receive care. These unexpected and harmful situations bothered us, and we were worried that great school nurses would leave their jobs or the nursing discipline all together. Interviewing school nurses to ensure their perspectives and experiences during this monumental time in history were recorded was important to us, as well as finding some ways to ensure they could be supported to do the work they love to do.

Editor's Picks, ResearchMoazzma ArshadMay 12, 2023nurses, school nurses, COVID-19

Supporting Social Development in Schools

The ability to connect to others touches people of all ages, including toddlers, school-aged youth, high school students, and those shifting to life after K-12 instruction. As children develop and appreciate their individuality, they secure the capabilities to respond to others and control their activities. Social development necessitates a movement where youth, in their formative years, discover how to interrelate with others. During these foundational years, children establish bonds with others, manage interactions, and begin to experience and process disagreements and struggles.

ResearchMoazzma ArshadMarch 27, 2023social development, school nurses