Key Challenges and Opportunities for Implementing School Located Vaccination Clinics for COVID-19 and Influenza: Roundtables With School Nurses and Immunization Programs

School-located vaccination clinics (SLVs) are an established strategy to offer influenza and routine vaccinations and improve student and community health. The COVID-19 pandemic has led many communities to expand SLVs to include COVID-19 vaccines. However, these SLVs are less documented than in the past due to the fast-paced nature of the pandemic and the additional pressures put on schools and public health organizations. We conducted five virtual roundtables with 30 school nurses and state immunization program managers from across the United States to gain insight into SLVs occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roundtables explored participants’ experiences planning and implementing SLVs, including factors influencing success and available resources. Findings highlighted SLVs as an opportunity to increase access and equity for vaccines. Participants shared strategies for School-located vaccination (SLV) funding, partnership building, vaccine storage and management, consent, data sharing, messaging, and promotion. These shared experiences offer useful insights for those interested in future and sustained SLV implementation.

The Landscape of State and Local School-Located Vaccination Clinics: Practices, Policies, and Lessons Learned for Providing COVID-19 and Routine Vaccinations

For decades, school-located vaccinations clinics (SLVs) have successfully offered influenza and routine childhood immunizations that have contributed to lowering the morbidity and mortality of vaccine-preventable diseases. These SLVs laid the foundation for state and local health departments and school districts to quickly implement SLVs in response to COVID-19. To support school nurses and immunization programs in implementing future SLVs during the COVID-19 pandemic, we explored the landscape of SLVs between August 2019 and late summer 2021 using publicly available information from school and health department websites, news articles reporting on SLVs, and internal documents provided by school nurses and immunization programs who hosted SLVs. Our scan identified variability in the reach, scope, and approach to SLVs, but consistent themes persist such as the importance of partnerships and SLVs as an opportunity to promote equitable access to vaccinations. Useful documents and resources for planning and hosting SLV clinics were compiled into a table. With COVID-19 vaccines now available to all school-age children, SLVs provide an even greater opportunity to improve school and community health. The included resources are designed to provide support for those interested in SLV implementation.

School Garden Benefits: Health Promotion and Environmental Conservation

Garden-based learning promotes environmental awareness, health, and wellness across the school community and beyond. In this article, we review the literature on the benefits of school gardening and describe firsthand experiences for garden success. By sharing lessons learned, our aim is to inspire school nurses to join forces with like-minded teachers and staff or take the lead to build capacity in their school for gardening and a green culture dedicated to the conservation of natural resources.

Long COVID—The New “Invisible” Illness: How School Nurses Can Support the Nursing and Educational Teams for Student Success

School-age children are not immune to COVID-19 or the pronounced and persistent symptoms associated with a long-COVID diagnosis. Students may present with a variety of symptoms affecting their physical, cognitive, and mental health. The school community should be educated on the school-based interventions and recommendations for creating an individualized safe and successful return to school plan. As we await approval for vaccinations in school-age children younger than 12 years and continue to reposition ourselves to the waves of this pandemic and new variants of the virus, understanding the medical and educational long-term effects on our students may be a long-term need.

School Nursing for the Novice: How Do I Begin?

Obtaining a position as a school nurse is an exciting career opportunity, but the reality of a new position in a new specialty area can quickly lead to anxiety and feeling overwhelmed. Your first thoughts might be “Can I really do this job?” and “Where and how do I begin?” The answer to these questions will depend on your situation—are you a nurse hired for a previously established school nurse position or are you the first nurse at your school, charged with initiating a school health program? The purpose of this article is to offer guidance for the novice school nurse in establishing a school health program and school nurse office, as well as to encourage and provide direction for the development of your school nursing practice.

Preparing for the Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Youth

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to have long-term and global effects that the vaccine may not ease. Children and adolescents endured unprecedented periods of loneliness, social isolation, financial stressors, in-home conflicts, changes in living circumstances, and variable access to healthcare, resulting in increased mental health sequelae. Timely recognition of students’ anxiety, depression, and disruptive behaviors will allow appropriate interventions to de-escalate these feelings and prevent suicidal ideations and attempts. As youth return to school, their mental health needs will not subside. School nurses and the multidisciplinary team have a vital role in impacting this population’s already surging increase of mental and behavioral health disorders.

The Huddle: A Daily Dose of Communication

Teamwork and communication are critical to ensure safe and quality care for students. A huddle offers the team a daily dedicated time to connect with each other. Huddles are short, regular debriefings designed to engage clinical staff in discussions about existing or emerging safety issues. The huddle was already systematically and uniformly part of the daily practice at Akron Children’s Hospital’s School Health Services daily schedule prior to COVID-19. The pandemic increased the need for the daily huddle. The fluid and frequently changing guidelines, personal protective equipment, and mitigation considerations has increased nursing anxiety and has made regular communication and daily debriefing even more important. Akron Children’s Hospital School Health Services has used huddle for over 10 years with excellent quality, team building, and nurse satisfaction outcomes.