In the United States, there are only 45,000 school nurses to care for 52 million elementary and secondary school children. An estimated 10 percent to 20 percent of the nation’s 52 million school children have healthcare needs that require the care of a school nurse. Unfortunately, the number of school nurses is inadequate to provide appropriate care. The reason is obvious. School nurses, on average, are responsible for over 1,100 students, 750 more than the number recommended by professional and government agencies.  As a result, quality healthcare in many schools suffers.

New legislation, the Student to School Nurse Ratio Improvement Act of 2008 (H.R. 6201), would provide the resources needed to hire additional school nurses so that more children have access to care in their schools.

Urge your representative to support this important bill.