New Program for School Nurses

The Rutgers-Camden College of Arts and Sciences is launching a new program designed to help registered nurses earn their New Jersey school nurse certification on a quicker basis.

Approved by the New Jersey Department of Education, the Rutgers-Camden School Nurse Certificate Program will allow registered nurses to complete coursework and receive New Jersey state certification within seven months, instead of the average year and a half. Classes will begin in January.

The new program will provide comprehensive education and clinical experience in the basic New Jersey requirements for school nurses, while including additional emphasis on treating a diverse student population and implementing substance abuse prevention programs on the elementary and high school levels. The Rutgers-Camden curriculum also will provide coursework to help school nurses deal with disasters and other emergencies.

According to program coordinator Dr. Kathleen Frame, a visiting assistant professor of nursing at Rutgers-Camden, the demands on school nurses have changed radically during the past decade. "Today's schools require nurses who are sensitive to the needs of a diverse student population; who can help students fight substance abuse; and who can advise their principals on effective disaster planning," says Dr. Frame, who crafted the Rutgers-Camden program with a $10,000 planning award from Johnson & Johnson. The New Jersey Department of Education strongly endorsed the proposed program in August.

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Author: Mike Sepanic--Rutgers