The fourth Wednesday in January has been set aside for recognition of school nurses for more than two decades. The purpose of this day is to celebrate the contribution of school nurses toward improving the health of children and to foster a better understanding of the expanded school nurse role.
Many communities are unaware of the number of schools that lack school nurse services today.
School nurses are often required to provide health care for increasingly large numbers of students and frequently more than one school building. The health and safety of students is put at risk when adequate health services are not provided. A full appreciation of how much school nurses do to keep kids healthy is a key component of National School Nurse Day celebrations. Schools and communities are encouraged to join with their school nurses in celebrating this important day. The National Association of School Nurses recognizes D Alene Seymour of New Mexico as the National School Nurse of the Year and Betty Fitzpatrick of Colorado as the National School Nurse Administrator of the Year.