Education panel approves measure to recruit and train school nurses

The School Nurse Organization of Minnesota reports that only one-third of Minnesota schools have a licensed school nurse. That means the medical needs of many students in the state are not being met.

Rep. Liz Boldon (DFL-Rochester) wants to change that.

HF3860 would address workforce challenges by providing grants and scholarships to recruit school nurses, establishing a school nurse training program in partnership with a postsecondary institution, and setting up an education loan forgiveness program for health professionals, including school nurses. 

“Licensed school nurses support students with their physical and mental health needs, both acute and chronic. They provide and coordinate care, and they are a bridge to health care and education,” Boldon told the House Education Policy Committee Monday.

Rep. Liz Boldon

The bill, which has no Senate companion nor specific dollar request, was approved on an 11-8 party-line vote and referred to the House Education Finance Committee.

Republicans were concerned about potential funding challenges for school districts with regard to compensation of licensed school nurses. Currently, their salaries vary across districts.

The bill provides education opportunities to many school health aides unable to finance their school nurse training programs, said Liz Zeno, a licensed school nurse and district program facilitator for Minneapolis Public Schools. It potentially would bring more nurses of color to Minnesota schools, and bridge a trust gap that exists now.

“This bill gives me hope that it might happen soon,” she said.

Jolie Holland, a licensed school nurse with Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Public Schools, lamented the uneven spread of school nurses across the state. State law requires a licensed school nurse if there are 1,000 or more students in the district. A district with 999 students isn’t required to hire a licensed school nurse, and a school district with 6,000 students is only required to employ one licensed school nurse, she said.

“Our students desperately need more licensed school nurses. This is an everywhere problem,” she said. “Medical needs in 2022 for students are staggering.”

A letter of support from the School Nurse Organization of Minnesota, notes, “Medical technology has greatly improved and premature babies now have survival rates, at 26 weeks and 27 weeks, of 80% and 90%, respectively. These children are coming to school with incredible medical needs with life threatening allergies, diabetes, asthma, seizures, mental health issues, have G-tubes, tracheostomies, require medications and many, many more health needs.”

The medical health of students can’t be forever left to health aides, especially the management of chronic care, said Holland, who is also the organization’s legislative chair.