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School Nurse Corps

Registered nurses across Washington’s Educational Service Districts help ensure students stay safe, healthy, and ready to learn. The School Nurse Corps (SNC) program connects students with professional nursing services, reduces health and educational disparities, and improves attendance and academic achievement.

Building Healthy Learning Environments Through Expert Nursing Care

Students with health care needs—from asthma and diabetes to seizure disorders and life-threatening allergies—receive the care they need to stay safe at school. School Nurses assess student health needs, create individualized care plans, and train school staff to respond to emergencies. These experts help schools comply with federal requirements under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Schools see improved student attendance, and better graduation rates when students get the health services they need.

What School Nurse Corps Administrators Do

School Nurse Corps Administrators support schools and districts by:

Providing timely technical assistance on school health and nursing issues
Assessing and analyzing student health needs across their regions
Allocating nursing resources to serve the neediest schools
Training school staff to respond quickly and effectively to emergency situations
Mentoring and consulting with nurses and administrators in all school districts
Building partnerships between schools, families, and health care providers
Supporting quality assurance practices guided by student safety, evidence, and cost containment
Delivering in-person and online professional learning opportunities for school nurses and health staff

School Nurse Corps Services for Districts

Districts can access expert nursing consultation and direct services to keep students healthy, safe, and engaged in learning:

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Direct Nursing Services

Registered nurses provide direct care to students, conduct health assessments, administer medications, and manage chronic health conditions in the neediest small schools.

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Individualized Care Plans

Nurses develop customized health plans that outline daily maintenance care, emergency response procedures, and accommodations for students with special health care needs.

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Emergency Response Training

School staff learn to recognize and respond to life-threatening situations—including severe allergic reactions, seizures, diabetic emergencies, and respiratory distress—when the nurse is not present.

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Technical Assistance and Consultation

School Nurse Corps Administrators answer questions about infection control, medication administration, health screenings, immunization compliance, and other school health issues. Each administrator typically receives more than 100 technical assistance requests per month.

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Professional Learning Programs

Nurses and administrators receive training and professional learning opportunities to strengthen their skills in managing student health needs and creating safe learning environments.

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Federal Compliance Support

Administrators help districts meet federal requirements for students with disabilities and health conditions, ensuring schools provide appropriate accommodations and services.

A Lasting Statewide Partnership

School Nurse Corps, in partnership with schools, families, and communities, improves student health outcomes, safety, and readiness to learn. It increases student access to professional registered nurses and expands public school districts’ capacity to provide a safe and healthy learning environment.

The School Nurse Corps program started in 1999 following a 1997 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee study that identified gaps in school nursing services. In 2013, Governor Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Weisman presented the School Nurse Corps with the Warren Featherstone Reid award, recognizing the program as a state leader in providing quality, cost-efficient health services.