For many children living with type 1 diabetes, school nurses play a pivotal role in diabetes management. Many children are not able to manage their glucose levels without assistance, especially those who are newly diagnosed or not developmentally able to do so. Additionally, it would be difficult for most caregivers to manage their children’s diabetes while they are at school. Whether it’s helping with a low glucose or lunchtime dosing, school nurses are there to help.
What school nurses can do:
School nurses or other trained staff should be able to do the following based on federal law:
- Monitor glucose
- Give insulin and glucagon, if needed
- Check ketones
- Manage illness and seek support, if needed
Ideally, if your child uses an insulin pump, the nurse or another trained person could assist with replacing an infusion set or pod, if needed. Every state has its own laws in addition to federal protections. Private schools that do not receive federal funding are not required to adhere to federal regulations, meaning it may be harder to get the care you want for your child.
How to support your school nurse
It can be invaluable to have information on your child’s diabetes management plan prepared and explained to the school nurse. Many pediatric endocrinology practices have school packets or forms that they fill out annually or with treatment changes for the school. If you have the capacity to meet the nurse in person and demonstrate your management tools, hands-on is an ideal learning environment. There are also many online training resources available for school nurses. Most notably, the American Diabetes Association has a Safe at School program with resources for families and schools.
Creating a school diabetes supply kit with all the items your child may need will also help. You may need to ask your diabetes care team for additional prescriptions to ensure you have one meter for home and one for school, for example. Consider including a document with links to user guides for management tools in case they malfunction during the school day. Make sure to check your child’s diabetes supply kit yearly (more frequently for insulin) to ensure nothing in the kit has expired. Some school nurses are well-versed in diabetes and care for many kids with T1D, while others may need more assistance. Keeping communication open and non-judgmental is key.
Show them some love
If you have had a positive experience with your school nurse, let them know! Even emailing or writing a thank-you card can go a long way. Let the school leadership know you’ve had a good experience; it’s always good for your supervisors to hear you’re doing well. Or use this free Nurses Appreciation Week certificate to help your school nurse feel valued. Thank you, school nurses, for caring for children with diabetes and all the other hard work you do!
Written and clinically reviewed by Marissa Town, RN, BSN, CDCES
