At the OSNA 2024 Spring Conference, "The Core of School Nursing," participants will explore the intersection of clinical and professional competencies in the role of the school nurse.
Kate King DNP MS RN LSN, President of the National Association of School Nurses, will share about the future of school nursing and her vision for her term of office as President of NASN. She will lay a solid foundation for the 2 days of skill and knowledge content.
Terri Hinkley, EdD, MBA, BScN, RN, CAE, current CEO of NASN will also join us for this event. She will speak to the participants as a group and will be available to connect with smaller focus groups to discover how NASN can best serve school nurses in Oregon.
Erin J. Anderson, M.S.N., P.N.P., pediatric nurse practitioner at OHSU primarily specializing in the care of children with bowel/bladder dysfunction, will share clinical updates in those areas.
Henry Lin, M.D., M.B.A., a pediatric gastroenterologist, Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, OHSU School of Medicine, who is board certified in pediatric gastroenterology, will provide a clinical update with an emphasis on those conditions which may require interventions during the school day.
Participants will engage in a "skills fair" for developing competencies with clean intermittent catheterization, g-tube management, and enteral feeding pumps. Nurses will have an opportunity to explore the implementation of Clean Intermittent Catheterization Toolkit.
Professional Communication is essential for the development of the relationships necessary for effective school nursing practice. In the school setting, collaborative and inclusive communication skills are essential as nurses work on multidisciplinary teams. Participants will workshop on communication skills and connect those skills to the school nurse role as the clinical expert on IEP and 504 teams; Nurses will explore their role as consultants, preparing assessments for IEPs and 504s and consulting on students in transition (IFSP and post high school graduation).
Engaging students from underrepresented or marginalized groups requires an understanding of cross cultural implications of communication. Inclusive communication is a fundamental aspect of the equitable delivery of school nursing care.
Therapeutic communication and motivational interviewing strategies will enrich school nurses’ engagement with students and their families/guardians.
Students in migrant and immigrant communities face unique challenges in the school setting and suffer from health inequities. School nurses will have the opportunity to learn directly about the barriers facing these students and their families. A representative from the ODE specializing in Migrant Education will share about state level work to address and overcome these barriers. School nurses will learn about a district level program which supports these students. Finally, partnerships with local non-profits can be valuable for supporting these students, as well; participants will learn about one such agency in Central Oregon.
In the course of practicing school nursing consistent with the 21st Century Framework, nurses fulfill many roles, as educators, consultants, and leaders. This conference will shed insights into these roles and develop school nurses' understanding and competencies which will support their best practice in these roles.
Virtual Option: As in recent years, we will make materials available to nurses who register for conference but cannot attend in person. We have intentionally chosen not to make a synchronous virtual opportunity because we have concern that districts will stop sending nurses in person if that is an option. Materials for this conference will include recorded slide decks (audio of the presentation recorded over the visual of the slides), uploads of other workshop materials, interaction with other participants via messaging, and access to virtual booths for event exhibitors.