School Nurse FAQ’s:
Essential Information for Schools
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A. Yes. We conduct a FBI (national) and ISP (Illinois State Police), 7 year, criminal, fingerprint based, background check on all of our nurses that substitute at our school clients.
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A. Yes. Once we have an agreement in place, a school district can use our substitute school nurse services as little or as much as they need.
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A. Yes, we have long term substitute school nurses. We can cover any length of time you need. 1-day to a full time school nurse for the whole school year, and anything in between.
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A. Our agreement includes substitute school nurses, temp to hire (conversion to hire), and, also direct hire and the rates.
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A. We are 'on-call' 24/7. Just call our office number, 847-775-7445, to place your request. After hours, choose our 'on-call' option and you will be connected to a live person that can help you. You can also login to our scheduling app to add your shift and publish it to our nurses.
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A. You can call anytime. We are 'on-call' 24/7, for last minute, 1 day, short term or long term needs. We will always do our best to fill any need you have.
Building strong children: Why we need nurses in schools
An important article to inform and share with teachers, administrators, and everyone else interested in the health and well-being of children, how and why school nurses are needed to address the social, physical, and mental health needs of students and how school nurses are a positive return on investment, financially and in time spent on instruction. Maughan, E. D. (2016). Building strong children, Why every student needs a school nurse! American Educator. ... full article
“I wanted (Assured Healthcare) to know what an outstanding job (your substitute nurse) did. (Her) documentation was like a champ.... everything was wonderful when (I returned) and very organized. ... a couple of the kids said that you were so nice and usually they only tell (me) about the nurses they didn’t like. “ - thank you from school nurse at W.J. Murphy School in Round Lake Park after Assured Healthcare School Nurse substitute placement
School Nurses: What don’t they do?
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They generally cannot give students any medication, whether prescription or over-the-counter, without explicit parental consent and a doctor's order.
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A school nurse is not a doctor and cannot provide diagnoses or treatment for medical conditions beyond basic first aid.
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They cannot give out common remedies like pain relievers without proper authorization from a physician.
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While they can help with management, they cannot fully manage complex or poorly controlled chronic health issues like severe asthma or depression.
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They need parental and physician permission for most interventions, including dispensing medication.
What School Nurses Can Do, Under the Right Conditions
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Offer immediate care for minor injuries, apply bandages, and provide a safe space to rest.
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Administer medication that is prescribed by a physician, documented in the nurse's office, and for which they have explicit permission.
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Offer guidance on conditions like allergies or help students understand how to use their own medical devices.
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They can be a resource for students and parents on various health-related issues.
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School nurses may advocate for students' needs regarding consent, confidentiality, and management of health conditions.