Delaware School Nurses Attend the National Association of School Nurses
47th Annual Conference in Philadelphia
NASN2015: Embracing Today – Transforming Tomorrow
(Wilmington, Delaware) – 82 School nurses from Delaware spent the beginning of the summer break attending The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) 47th Annual Conference, themed, Embracing Today – Transforming Tomorrow, on June 24th at the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The four-day conference (June 24-June 27) offered school nurses from across the country strategies to build their leadership skills as well as enhance their understanding of laws and policies affecting school health.
Delaware nurses were among the featured speakers which included presentations by Delaware nurses Beth Mattey MSN, RN, NCSN, Rebecca King MSN, RN, NCSN, Dr. Linda Wolfe EdD, BSN, RN, NCSN, FNASN, Sharon Rose Gargula MSN, RN, NCSN, Peggy McKibbin MSN, RN, NCSN, Susan Hoffmann MSN, RN, NCSN and Dr. Janice Selekman DNSc, RN, NCSN, FNASN. In addition a breakout session on The Student Health Collaboration highlighted community partnerships that help to manage students with chronic, acute and complex health conditions. A panel including a Delaware school nurse, a Nemours pediatrician, a Nemours Endocrinology Nurse and a parent of an elementary school student with diabetes shared how the program has enhanced communication and care coordination
“NASN2015 presents a wonderful opportunity for school nurses to develop new skills, gain hands-on experience about products and services, as well as network with colleagues from across the country,” said NASN President Carolyn Duff, MS, RN, NCSN. “The conference offers a variety of formats in thought provoking breakout sessions, workshops, poster presentations, demonstrations, and general sessions.
The focus of the workshops included such topics as developing school health policies and protocols, collaboration in promoting immunizations, developing protocols for anaphylaxis at your school, pediatric hypertension, vision screening, head lice, asthma, diabetes, children with chronic conditions, adolescent depression awareness, as well as legal issues for school nurses, the National Uniform Data Set, the Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice, and much more.
“The NASN2015 conference gives school nurses an occasion to learn and apply proven nursing strategies for increasing the self-management behaviors of children as well as develop collaborative partnerships at the local, state, and national levels to improve the health of the school and community,” said NASN Executive Director Donna Mazyck, MS, RN, NCSN.
A highlight of the conference was the induction of Beth Mattey, MSN, RN, NCSN, of Wilmington, Delaware, as the new President of NASN for the two-year term 2015-2017. Currently, Mattey is the school nurse at Mt. Pleasant High School (Brandywine (DE) School District).
As NASN’s new President, Beth will support NASN’s brand platform, School Nurses Build a Foundation for Student Health and Education. “School nurses make a difference for student health, working together with the student, the family, our partners in the school and the healthcare communities for better health, better learning,” said Mattey. “We want all children to have access to a full-time school nurse.”