Texas School Nurses Organization

President's Message

How is it that August creeps in so quickly! Didn’t we just say ‘have a great summer!’ to our students and staff? I hope you have refreshed and found some time just for you and your families this summer! We’ll be back at it so very soon!

As I write, the COVID-19 Delta Variant is causing many to have illness and hospitalizations. Without funding for virtual or remote options for learning, and without state support for wearing masks, it is uncertain what the start to the school year will be! What I do know is that school nurses will be there for their students and families; recommending and administering vaccines, recommending mask wearing, teaching hand and cough hygiene and supporting health and wellness! It’s what we do best!

The plan is to move forward with the in-person TSNO November 12-14, 2021 Conference! See the announcements and sneak peak of the fabulous speaker line up! The registration brochure link is below and registration will begin September 1!

Have a great start of the 2021/2022 school year!

Karen S. Schwind, BSN, RN, NCSN

TSNO President

NASN Director News

Oh, where did the summer break go? Schools have reopened for some and soon for others. I hope you enjoyed opportunities to get some well-deserved rest and found time to re-energize this summer to face the new challenges of this upcoming school year. Thinking about this past unprecedented school year, I am forever proud and inspired to hear and read so many stories of school nurses leading the way in keeping students and staff safe, and providing motivation for those colleagues that may have become discouraged or weary.

One tool to keep by your side is the NASN website, which you might want to bookmark as a favorite for easy access. NASN offers robust evidence-based resources at your fingertips to help you in your nursing practice and school health education. Another valuable resource for relevant and timely information can be found in the NASN Weekly Digest, available to both members and non-members. Subscribe today and share with your fellow colleagues the value and responsibility found in joining your professional nursing organization.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions, comments, or need help finding something on the NASN website. You can always reach me at francisluna.tsno@gmail.com.

In your service,

Francis Luna

NASN TX-Director

From the NASN Weekly Digest:

NASN and school nurses have been widely represented in the news media over the past few months and we are now including a section in the Weekly Digest to highlight some of those stories twice a month. If you have a story about school nurses you'd like us to consider including, please send it to us.

Kristi Rice and Liz Pray: Now more than ever, we need school nurses (Source: The Spokesman-Review)

Georgia’s school nurses chart new territory in pandemic (Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

The connection between the Texas Administrative Code and Texas Education Code

Below is an explanation of the function, difference, and connection of these two guiding documents.

Texas Education Code is the 'law' book - it contains all the laws that govern education that are passed through the legislature. When a bill passes through the legislature, it becomes a state statute (law) as part of TEC. Almost all bills (laws) point to a state agency to write the 'rules' on how to enact the goal of the bill. And here's where TAC comes in...

Texas Administrative Code is the 'rule' book - any state agency that has rulemaking authority puts their rules in TAC. This includes all topics: insurance, health, education, transportation, finances, etc. Education is Title 19, and TEA is Part 2. So, any rule made by TEA or SBOE goes in TAC Title 19 Part II. Similarly, any DSHS rule that we have to follow is in TAC, Title 25, Part I. Most often, education-related bills leave rule-making up to TEA, but a lot of school health-related bills go to DSHS or HHSC.

Therefore, district policy (legal and local) will reference pieces of TEC and also TAC in their descriptions of the policy.

Back-to-School Toolkit

NASN/ TSNO members- So many NASN resources in one place! Click on the picture to the right to learn more!

Support Student with Chronic Health Conditions

Click on the picture to the left to learn more!

Oliver Foundation- Healthy Choices Grant

Oliver Foundation works to encourage children, families and community in Texas to improve the nutrition and physical activity of K-12 students. The Healthy Choices Grants will be awarded to non-profit organizations, agencies and schools. They will need to demonstrate the greatest need and likelihood of a sustainable impact on children’s nutrition and activity levels through innovative programs. Applications are due April 15, July 15, and October 15, 2021.

Looking for #COVID19 Testing, Therapeutics, or Vaccine Providers in Texas

The Texas Division of Emergency Management has maps for that!

Testing Locations: http://COVIDtest.TDEM.Texas.gov
Vaccine Providers: http://meds.TDEM.Texas.gov
Therapeutic Providers: http://meds.TDEM.Texas.gov

Need An Idea About How To Reach Your Members?

Recently Region X reached out to each of their 412 members via email. The email included a request to update relevant information including their name, credentials, school district, name of school, phone number, full/part-time status, and finally whether their members would be willing to serve on local boards of committees. All information was complied via a Google form which was attached within the email. As a reward for completing the form each nurse received a small gift along with a statement of gratitude from the TSNO Board of Region X.

Region X had great results with 284 of their members responding and 93 of those stating that they are willing to serve their local board and/or committees! Amazing job, Region X!

If you would like to share any of your ideas please email monicaporras.tsno@gmail.com.

Members Needed

Did you know that less than half of school nurses in Texas know about TSNO and all of the benefits? We challenge you to ask! You could be the one who introduces them to those precious vision vouchers for their students or to other school nurses who can support them. Tell them what being a member of TSNO means to you! Feel free to give them our TSNO infographic.

Care for Your Students and You

VSP Vision Care's Sight for Students program is open to NASN members. Through this partnership, NASN members receive gift certificates they can share with qualifying students 19 years of age or younger.

The best professional liability rates available are extended to NASN members through NASN's partnership with Lockton Affinity.

The UnaRxCard is a discount prescription drug card that can lower the cost of many prescription medications and things like diabetes supplies, hearing aides and glasses. The card is available to NASN members and can be shared with others including students and their families.

Did you know...

The TSNO website has a "Resource" link with so much valuable information in just one click of the mouse! Examples include advocacy tools, AED's, asthma resources, confidentiality, diabetes care manual, federal agency links, food allergies, models, IHP Templates (my personal favorite), position statements, Scope and Standards, and so much more! Check it out at this link:

http://www.txsno.org/tsnoresources