School nurse qualifications would loosen amid shortage, under NC bill favored by committee

If House Bill 382 passes, more nurses would qualify to work in schools. The committee also wants schools to have medical action plans for some students.

Posted 6:46 p.m. Mar 28, 2023 — Updated 7:23 p.m. Mar 28, 2023

Emily Walkenhorst

, WRAL education reporter

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina House Education Committee approved a bill Tuesday that would make more nurses eligible to work in public schools.

House Bill 382, presented by sponsor Rep. John Bradford III, R-Mecklenberg, would remove the requirement that nurses either already have national certification or obtain it within three years of working in schools. It would not change the difference in pay between nationally certified nurses and non-certified nurses; a first-year certified nurse would earn $40,700, while a first-year non-certified nurse would earn $37,000. Licensed registered nurses without national certification would need to work for two years in a hospital or health clinic setting before they could work in schools.

Bradford said officials with Charlotte-Mecklenberg Schools brought the idea to him because the school system was struggling to hire school nurses, even when they had the money to hire a nurse.

The committee approved the bill Tuesday with bipartisan support, sending it to the House Rules Committee for another vote. If it becomes law, it would be effective immediately.

The number of nurses in North Carolina schools is far less than the stated goal of one in every school.

With nearly 3,000 individual public schools, North Carolina would need to nearly double its nurses to meet the goal of one in every school.

Without a nurse, schools may rely on teachers to make sure a student receives their medication.

Tiffany Gladney, director of policy and governmental relations for NC Child, said school nurses play a critical role in students' mental health, as well. Nurses often know which students are struggling emotionally, because they visit the nurse.

Gladney cited a 2021 survey of North Carolina students that found about one in five had contemplated suicide and one in 10 had attempted it. Federal health data show suicide attempts have been rising for more than a decade, particularly among young people.

“Our babies are in crisis,” Gladney said. “And this bill will certainly save lives, and it’s time to meet children where they are or where they should be, which is school.”

During the 2021-22 school year, public school systems or their counties employed 1,630 full-time equivalent school nurses, according to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services data. School systems reported another 131 school nurse positions were vacant for at least six months out of the school year.

Just about half of charter schools — 104 schools — employed a registered nurse at least part-time.

Medical preparedness

The committee also approved a bill that would require schools to form “medical condition action plans” for students who have a disorder — diagnosed by a doctor — that can lead to medical emergencies. Such a plan would include information about the condition, steps that should be taken and who should be responsible for taking them.

If House Bill 172 becomes law, every school would need to have one employee who would be trained in first aid and lifesaving techniques. It would go into effect next year.

Character education and abuse and suicide prevention

The committee also approved House Bill 253, which requires schools to provide “character education” and resources and information about abuse and suicide prevention.

North Carolina encourages character education, but does not require it. Character education includes “instruction on respect for school personnel, responsibility for school safety, service to others, and good citizenship,” according to a bill summary.

The bill would also require health curriculum for third through ninth grade students to include “age-appropriate” information and resources on recognizing, preventing and reporting suicide, abuse and neglect.

The bill would authorize training for educators on child sex abuse and sex trafficking prevention. That training could only be provided by nonprofits with 10 years of experience.

Suggest A Correction