The Minnesota Nurses Association: School Nurses in Minnesota Celebrate 100 Years of Addressing Health Needs of School Children

The Minnesota Nurses Association: School Nurses in Minnesota Celebrate 100
Years of Addressing Health Needs of School Children

ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The H1N1 strain may be a
"novel" virus, but it is nothing new to school nurses in Minnesota who are
celebrating 100 years of professional service in the state. Ceremonies
scheduled for Friday, November 6th will honor the ten decades of valuable
contributions made by school nurses to the health of children and communities.

Never ones to miss an educational opportunity, planning committee members are
also offering an education session focusing on the worldwide influenza
epidemic. Attendees will examine operational models that will prepare school
nurses for vaccine implementation and offer cutting-edge strategies for
overall outbreak management.

"Early visionaries determined the inescapable link between health and
education," said Ann Hoxie, RN, President of the 350-member School Nurse
Organization of Minnesota (SNOM). "School Nurses provide a key service to
keep children healthy, reduce absences and help assure academic success."

The commitment of addressing the health needs of Minnesota children in schools
began in the fall of 1909 when infectious diseases, poverty, immigration,
truancy and lack of social services acted as a catalyst for hiring Virginia
Rice as the first school nurse for the St. Paul Public Schools. Today, for
many uninsured and underinsured low income families, school nurses are the
frontline health care provider. "A lack of access to a school nurse can lead
to disruption of the child's school day, expensive trips to the emergency room
and delays in the care of chronic and preventable illnesses," said Ms. Hoxie.

The National Association of School Nurses will be represented at the event by
President Sandi DeLack, RN, MEd, NCSN who is leading the organization in
their collaboration with the US Departments of Health and Education in the
effort to protect school aged children from H1N1. Ms. DeLack applauded the
state organization, saying, "NASN congratulates the School Nurses of Minnesota
association on 100 years of excellence in providing school health services and
advancing the practice of school nursing. SNOM has a rich history of
developing strong leaders and advocates for children's health. They exemplify
Voice, Vision, and Visibility in their passion and dedication to ensure that
all students in MN are safe, healthy, and ready to learn." Ms. Delack will
welcome all SNOM members with a warm greeting to kick off the celebration on
Friday.

SNOM's event will begin at 4:30 p.m. with a reception, followed by the
educational program, dinner and festivities. It will take place at the
Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park.

The Minnesota Nurses Association salutes the work of their colleagues in
School Nurses Organization of Minnesota. Representing the interest of SNOM in
1961, MNA successfully championed legislation mandating certification of
school nurses by the Board of Teaching.

Education Session Details
Title: Complexity of Influenza
Plenary Presentation: Dr. Kristin Nichol, MD, MPH, MBA, University of
Minnesota Associate Chief of Staff for Research
Panel Members: Ann Hoxie, RN, Assistant Director, Student Health and
Wellness, St. Paul Public Schools; Mary Bielski Heiman, RN, Nursing Services
Manager, Minneapolis Public School; Janet Lowe, RN, Assistant Administrator,
St. Paul Public Schools; Carol Eickhoff, PHN, Stearns County Public Health

The Minnesota Nurses Association is the largest and fastest-growing union for
registered nurses in Minnesota and the Midwest. Representing more than 20,000
nurses, MNA is a multi-purpose organization that promotes high standards for
nursing education and practice, and works to advance the profession through
collective bargaining and legislative activity.

SOURCE Minnesota Nurses Association

Jan Rabbers of The Minnesota Nurses Association, +1-651-414-2861, Cell:
+1-612-860-6658