Degree
Certificate
Program Type
Certificate
Graduate
Have Questions?

Program Overview

Are you a nurse with a bachelor’s degree who currently works in a school setting or would like to? Our School Nurse Certificate Program prepares you to focus your career on the special knowledge and skills required for the school setting.

School nurses are leaders who bridge the gap between healthcare and education to promote the health and academic outcomes of all students.

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Nursing students with a laptop computer

What to Expect

The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) defines school nursing as a specialized nursing practice that:

  • Protects and promotes student health
  • Facilitates optimal development for all students
  • Advances academic success

This graduate-level certificate program will ground you in ethical, evidence-based practice. It will also prepare you to provide care coordination, advocate for student-centered care and collaborate on systems on an interprofessional level.

 

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Nursing student examines the ears of a child

Program Benefits

School Nurse Program benefits include:

  • Fully online 
  • Rolling admission with five starting points per year
  • Flexibility in pace of program completion
  • Innovative curriculum aligned with Scope and Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice and the NASN (Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice)
  • Direct contact with the program director
  • 13-16 credit hours of online coursework
  • Graduate credit
  • School nurse cognate for Master of Education in Adult Education through the College of Education
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Nursing student in formal dress on a laptop computer

Curriculum

Course

Course Description

Semester Hours

SNP 525

Health Care of the School Community

3 hrs

SNP 518

Health Determinants and Academic Indicators

3 hrs

SNP 520

Educational Strategies for Healthcare Providers

2-3 hrs
Students may choose 2 or 3 hours to best meet their needs. MEd students require 3 hours.

SNP 528

Interprofessional Collaboration: The School Nurse and School Support Services

3 hrs

SNP 680

Internship: School Nurse

2-4 hrs
Based upon previous experience in the school setting, determined through the internship approval process. MEd students require 3-4 hours.

Total Hours

13-16 hrs

 

Admission Requirements

  • Have and maintain an active unencumbered RN license
  • Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning
  • Have a minimum 3.0 GPA in previous or current higher education
  • Complete the School Nurse Certificate application

Admission to the School Nurse Certificate program is on a rolling basis, so students may apply and begin coursework during any semester. No on-campus attendance is required.

 

Graduate Outcome

School nurse graduates meet the Ohio Department of Education requirement to apply for the Professional Pupil Services License as a School Nurse.

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Nursing students in formal clothes in the walking in the lobby of the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Internships and Career Opportunities

All students complete a School Nurse Internship in an actual school setting with an assigned Ashland University clinical faculty member.

Contact Information

Jennifer Boles, MSN, RN, LSN, NCSN
Interim Director, School Nurse Certificate Program
279 College of Nursing & Health Sciences