The Roses and Thorns of Legislative Advocacy in School Nursing Leadership

Abstract

State School Nurse Consultants provide leadership and technical assistance in many areas related to safety, education, and well-being of students. One area of assistance includes health surveillance and disease prevention. During the pandemic, summer of 2020, the legislative co-chairs of the New Jersey State School Nurses Association advocated for a State School Nurse Consultant position at the New Jersey Department of Education. The story of their relentless pursuit of legislation that would support this position is shared in this article archiving one of the most tumultuous times in recent school nursing history. Successful passage of a law to establish the position of a State School Nurse Consultant was only the initial step in a life-lesson about advocacy, patience, and collaboration. Learn about the roses and thorns of school nursing legislative advocacy and consider joining your affiliates’ legislative team!

Recognizing the 2023 Fellows of the National Academy of School Nursing

“…She also created a COVID-19 toolkit for her district and for the New Jersey State School Nurses Association (NJSNA). Recognizing the importance of school nursing leadership, especially during this time, as Co-chair of the NJSNA Legislative Committee, Eileen worked with Senator Theresa Ruiz to introduce legislation for a State School Nurse Consultant position (Gavin et al, 2023). Ms. Gavin testified multiple times.…”