School Nurse Certificate
Program
University of Illinois-Chicago
College of Nursing
School Nurse Program
Phyllis Powell Pelt, MS, RN
Director
School Nurse Certification
Program
Phylpelt@uic.edu
Office : 312-413-0544
Fax- 312- 996-7725
Martha Dewey Bergren,
DNS RN NCSN FNASN
Coordinator, School Nurse Master’s
Programs
bergren@uic.edu
312-996-1321
Fax- 312- 996-7725
School Nurse Program
Clinical Instructors
 Frances Belmonte-Mann, MA, RN
 Margaret McGann, MSN, RN
School Nurse Certification
Sub-specialty
– distinct, unique body of knowledge
Ensures standard:
– preparation
– knowledge
– practice
Certification for School Nurses




Parallels teacher certification
Commitment to profession
Peer recognition
Improves opportunities &
advancement
School Nurse Certification
Steps
In the following sequence:
1. BSN
2. ISBE Test of Basic Skills
3. Education course
4. Two (2) School Nurse Courses
5. School Nurse Content Exam
University of Illinois School Nurse
Certificate- New Fall 2006
 Designed for nurses working IN schools in
other states
 Nurses working WITH schools in any state
Test of Basic Skills- REQUIRED
 State, not university administered test
 Take NOW, BEFORE you apply
 Web registration & study guide
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/certification/html/tes
ting.htm
ONLINE School Nurse Program
1.
NUPH 501- Education Perspectives in School
Health- (4 Semester Hours)
2.
NUPH 502: School Nursing Theory and
Trends (3 Semester Hours)
3.
NUPH 519 School Nursing Internship (3
Semester Hours)
TOTAL: 10 Semester Hour PROGRAM
UIC Campus Participation
ONLINE Curriculum
On campus Saturday classes twice
during program
Out-of-state students may
substitute other experience for on
campus experiences
ISBE School Nurse Type 73
Content Exam
 Illinois State Board
of Education
 Study Guide
http://www.isbe.state.i
l.us/certification/htm
l/testing.htm
School Nurse Internship
required for certification
 All students 300 hour internship (NUPH 519)**
– Nurses in school nurse role may do 260 hours or fewer
“on the job” + 40 or more outside
– Nurses not in schools earn all 300 hours supervised
 15 weeks or one school year in length
 Clinical contracts with schools
 School nurse intern eligibility form required
– http://www.isbe.state.il.us/certification/pdf/7344_ssp_intern_status.pdf
 40 hours or more of UIC preceptor contact
 Preceptor w/i 30 miles of residence (or intern
identified preceptor)
NUPH 519 School Nurse Internship
**Variable Credit Options (Extended period to complete
300 hour internship and course requirements)
1. One credit = 100 hrs & School Community
Assessment
2. Two credits = 200 hours & School Community
Assessment, Lesson Plan & Case Study
3. Three hours of credit - 300 hours & School
Community Assessment, Lesson Plan and Case
Study & clinical project
300 total hours needed for IL Type 73 certification
Prerequisite Grades


2.75 overall GPA
Applicants may petition admission
NEW!! Tuition
 E-Tuition: $560 per graduate credit
 No student fees under E-tuition rate
How to begin?
1. Illinois Test of Basic Skills
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/certification/pdf/73-44_ssp_intern_status.pdf
2. Order 2 copies of ALL transcripts. Keep
one copy sealed
3. If course names on pre-requisite list
differ, request course descriptions
Required Computer Skills
1. Get an email address
2. Use email for routine correspondence
3. Use Web Search engines:
www.GOOGLE.com
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/
4. Word processing Community computer classes
1. Cut and paste
2. Save and save under new name
3. Open new folders
4. Move files
UIC Masters and Doctorate
•School Nurse Masters Degrees:
•School Nurse Practitioner
•Advanced Community Health Practitioner
http://www.uic.edu/nursing/programs/msapply.shtml
• Internship Preceptors can use tuition waivers.
Scholarships
Evelyn Kahn Scholarship lwclark@cps.k12.il.us
Chicago Public School Nurses
Illinois Association of School Nurses
www.iasn.org
Illinois School Health Association
www.ishaweb.com
National Association of School Nurses
www.nasn.org
Discover Nursing
www.discovernursing.com/scholarship_search.asp
How to prepare for the
certification classes?
Join professional organization
National Association of School Nurses
www.nasn.org
Position papers & publications
Online access journal
Illinois Association of School Nurses
www.iasn.org
(Application for professional organizations is a joint
state and national on NASN website).
Attend conferences
 Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH )School Health Days and Critical Issues
Conferences
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/chp/ofh/SchoolHealth/
 Illinois School Health Association
www.ishaweb.com
 National Association of School Nurses
www.nasn.org
 Illinois Association of School Nurses
www.iasn.org
Network with school nurse colleagues
 IASN listserv
 NASN listservs
– Early childhood
– Special needs
– Administrator
 SCHLRN-L school nurse listserv
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=schlrn-l&A=1
 AllNurses.com School Nursing:
http://allnurses.com/f49
Add to your library
National Association of School Nurses.
(2005). School nursing scope and
standards of practice. Scarborough,
ME: NASN. www.nasn.org
Add to your library
Selekman, J. (2006). School nursing: A
comprehensive text. Philadelphia: F.
A. Davis. www.amazon.com
Add to your library
Schwab, N & Gelfman, M. (Eds.) (2001). A
resource for school nurses, administrators
and attorneys. Lincoln, NE: Authors Choice
Press (www.iuniverse.com/). Available from
Amazon.com
Add to your library
Schwab, N. C., Ruben, M., Maire, J. A., Gelfman, M. H. B.,
Bergren, M. D., Mazyck, D. & Hine, B. (2005).
Protecting and disclosing student health information:
Guidelines for developing school district policies and
procedures. Kent, OH: American School Health
Association. It can be ordered from www.nasn.org or
www.ashaweb.org.
Add to your library
National Association of School Boards of
Education. (2003) How schools work & how
to work with schools: a primer for
professionals who serve children and youth.
Go to : http://www.nasbe.org/ . Look for
NASBE Bookstore link and then Safe and
Healthy Schools link. This publication is the
first selection. $14.00
Add to your library
Melnyk B. & FineoutOverholt (Eds.)
(2005). Evidence-based practice in
nursing and health: A guide to best
practice Philadelphia: Lippincott
Stay Informed
“……advancing the
specialty of school
nursing and
promoting the
professional growth
of school nurses”
Preparing to apply
1. Take Illinois Test of Basic Skills:
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/certification/pdf/73-44_ssp_intern_status.pdf
2. Order 2 copies of ALL transcripts since high
school. Leave one copy sealed
3. Request course descriptions from colleges
if course names on pre-requisite form differ
Applying
4. Apply using “How to Apply” link:
http://www.uic.edu/nursing/schoolnursing/apply.shtml
 Use checklist to ensure a complete
application:
http://www.uic.edu/nursing/schoolnursing/supp_app.doc
Important Dates
5.
Space limited! Preferred Deadlines:



Summer – March 15th
Fall – May 15th
Spring – October 1th
APPLY EARLY – Space is limited
6.
Calendar:
http://www.uic.edu/depts/grad/calendar/index.shtml
Why Apply??



School Nurse Leaders CAN and DO
make a difference.
Invest in yourself as a life long learner
and invest in your school community!!
Be a role model for the young people in
your life.