The College of Education, working in collaboration with the School of Nursing in the College of Science and Health, has developed this online program to prepare Registered Nurses to meet the qualifications for licensure as School Nurses. The course sequence has been designed to meet state requirements so that students completing the curriculum will be eligible and prepared to take the Illinois state School Nurse content exam and obtain an Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) School Nurse license. As with all of our programs in the College of Education, we strive to create positive educational transformations through the university’s Vincentian personalism that honors the dignity of each person.
ISBE requires that school nurses understand the context of the educational setting since it differs from the more traditional clinical and hospital environment. The School Nurse may be called upon to participate in special education case work and health assessments or record keeping that would not be traditionally affiliated with a nurse’s responsibilities in other settings. The School Nurse must therefore have coursework in the psychology, identification of, and methods of instruction for the exceptional child. The School Nurse must also have coursework that provides information regarding reading methods and content area reading.
Our state licensure program consists of 4 total courses for 16 credit hours (all online), plus an eight credit hour internship. The internship will include an 11-week full-time placement in a school under the mentorship of a school nurse.
Course Requirements
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| T&L 405 | INTRODUCTION TO THE ROLE OF SCHOOL SERVICE PERSONNEL: SCHOOL NURSE | 4 |
| SER 446 | PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL CHILD | 4 |
| BBE 425 | BILITERACY PRACTICES IN BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND ESL | 4 |
| NSG 431 | HEALTH PROMOTION FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES | 4 |
| T&L 606 | SCHOOL NURSE INTERNSHIP | 8 |
Licensure
Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to take the Illinois State School Licensure Content Exam, (Test #236).
Admissions
Applicants to the licensure program must meet the admissions requirements of the College of Education (found here). Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s Degree and must have a minimum gpa of 3.0. They must provide transcripts from degree granting institutions, two letters of recommendation, and a copy of nursing license. ISBE requires that School Nurse candidates must hold licensure as a Registered Nurse in Illinois.