I can’t believe it’s almost time for this year’s NASN Annual Conference! I’ve attended the meeting many times, and I can’t tell you how much I look forward to it every year. The role of the school nurse has been becoming increasingly complex and nuanced, as we are increasingly charged with helping students with not only physical ailments but also their emotional wellbeing. I see our annual meeting as a great opportunity to connect and relate with colleagues who have similar experiences and face similar challenges. The conference also provides the opportunity to network with experts from around the country!
Personally, I’m the most excited about the presentations I’ll be participating in at the meeting. For example, on day two, I’m going to present at a breakfast meeting. Joined by Dr. John Clark and Susan Catchings, two respected experts in their fields, we’ll talk about “Educating Ourselves About Head Lice in the School Setting.” While the topic of head lice isn’t the most glamorous, it directly impacts us because the condition most often affects children in preschool or elementary school.
In our breakfast session, we’ll share important information that school nurses should know, such as the updated treatment guidelines recently released by the American Academy of Pediatrics. These state that “no-nit” policies, which require that a child is free of nits before they are allowed to return to school, should be discontinued partly because of the stigma associated with this practice. While you’ll definitely get a lot of great information at the conference, also check out www.HeadfirstLiceLessons.org for resources on head lice designed specifically for school nurses.
At the meeting, I’ll also be involved with two other presentations, which will be about innovative teaching methods and the ethical use of social media. On a related note, be sure to follow social media conversations about the meeting on Twitter using #NASN2015.
I’m looking forward to seeing all you at the conference later this month!
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