SENATE, No. 587

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 29, 1996

 

 

By Senator BENNETT

 

 

An Act concerning the provision of public school health services and supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. No school district shall utilize or employ any person to provide health services, to assist in providing health services, or to provide support for health services except for the school nurse.

    As used in this act:

    "School nurse" means a person holding an educational services certificate with an endorsement as a school nurse issued by the State Board of Examiners. No person shall be issued such a certificate unless the person is licensed as a registered nurse under the provisions of P.L.1947, c.262 (C.45:11-23 et seq.), and meets all of the requirements prescribed by the Board for a nursing endorsement.

    "Health services" means, but shall not be limited to, all the services and activities involving and related to:

    a. Vision screening;

    b. Auditory screening;

    c. Scoliosis testing or screening;

    d. Taking of heights and weights;

    e. Administration, taking, and provision of tests, examinations, and diagnostic procedures to obtain health information relating to a pupil or for inclusion in a pupil's or school district's health records;

    f. Decision making when involving the exclusion or return of a pupil from school, class, or any school activity due to illness or injury;

    g. Administration of medication;

    h. Counseling or advice relating to a pupil's health;

    i. Administration of medical services; and

    j. Administration of first aid, including but not limited to:

            (1) Taking temperatures;

            (2) Contacting parents of pupils who are ill;

            (3) Applying band-aids to cuts;

            (4) Washing cuts;

            (5) Removing splinters;

            (6) Treating bee stings;

            (7) Treating nose bleeds; and

            (8) Applying ointments or creams.

 

    2. a. A school district may utilize or employ a person to perform secretarial or clerical duties that assist in providing health services only under the actual presence and direct supervision of a school nurse.  b. Secretarial or clerical duties may include recording information on a pupil or school record, making telephone calls, or preparing correspondence. These duties shall not include the provision of health services pursuant to section 1 of this act.

    c. The actual presence and direct supervision of a school nurse shall mean that the school nurse shall be in the same office or room at the same time that the secretarial or clerical duties are performed, except in circumstances when the school nurse is at lunch or is required to be away from the office due to a medical emergency.

 

    3. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

 

    4. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill requires health services in every school district to be provided by a certified school nurse. Each nurse would have to hold an educational services certificate with an endorsement as a school nurse issued by the State Board of Examiners. No person shall be issued such a certificate unless the person is licensed as a registered nurse.

    A person may perform secretarial or clerical duties that assist in providing health services only under the actual presence and direct supervision of a school nurse.

    This bill would ensure that school children are provided nursing services under the care and supervision of a qualified and certified registered nurse.

 

 

 

Requires public school health services to be provided by a certified school nurse.