WHEREAS, P.A. 90-548 has been enacted by the State of Illinois in December 1997; and

WHEREAS, P.A. 90-548 allows that "school districts may employ non-certificated registered professional nurses to perform professional nursing services" in schools; and

WHEREAS, basic nursing education intended to prepare a nurse generalist does not necessarily include curriculum addressing school public health mandates, special education evaluation or nursing practice in school as a non-traditional setting; and

WHEREAS, P.A. 90-548 provides that "duties which require teaching or the exercise of instructional judgement or educational evaluation of pupils, must be done by a school nurse who is certificated (Type 73) under Section 21-25 of the Act"; and

WHEREAS, preparation of a certificated school nurse specialist (Type 73) is defined by the State Board of Education rules and regulations and requires the completion of a state approved school nurse certification program; and

WHEREAS, there are increasing numbers of children who are chronically ill or medically fragile in Illinois schools and require daily and/or specialized nursing care in order to access a free and appropriate public education; and

WHEREAS, some of these nursing services can be safely performed by a non-certificated nurse;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Illinois Association of School Nurses acknowledges the legislative mandate which allows a tiered system of nursing services in Illinois schools; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Illinois Association of School Nurses recognizes that some of the broad range of nursing services required by children in schools today can be provided by the non-certificated nurse in collaboration with the certificated school nurse specialist; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Illinois Association of School Nurses believes that the non-certificated school nurse employed by a school should have a formal orientation specific to the responsibilities required by the school setting; and

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that the Illinois Association of school Nurses believes that the non-certificated nurse should practice under the direction of a certificated school nurse specialist who is prepared to administer the comprehensive school health program.