The Power of the Collective: Why We’re Gathering Data at NASN

Karlee Dana, MSN, RN & Jacqui Falco, MSN, RN, NCSN

As school nurses, we are inherently data-driven. We know exactly how many respiratory treatments we administered this month, we track the metrics on chronic absenteeism, and we document every assessment to build a clear picture of student health. Data is our shield, and it is our primary tool for advocacy.

But as the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) conference is here, we have been thinking about a different kind of data: the data of our own professional experience.

In our recent interview for the NASN breakout session on school nurse leadership, we talked a lot about the institutional roadblocks that keep brilliant, highly skilled nurses from speaking up. We talked about the isolation of the clinic, the struggle to be viewed as a peer by educational administration, and the burning desire so many of us have to do more than just put band-aids on systemic issues.

But to truly drive our profession forward, we need more than just our own insights. We need yours.

A Partnership for Progress

This year, we want to take the momentum of being featured at NASN and channel it into something actionable. We want to map out where school nurses across the country feel most empowered, where they are getting stuck, and what tools they actually need to lead from the clinic floor.

To do that, we are partnering with a champion of school health who has dedicated her career to lifting up nursing leaders: Kathy Hassey, DNP, MEd, RN, FNASN. Throughout the conference, a national school health survey will be distributed directly from Kathy’s table, representing the Northeastern University School Health Academy (Booth #207). This isn't a dry, academic exercise. It is a tool designed to capture the ground-level reality of what it means to practice school nursing today.

Where to Find the Blueprint

If you are roaming the exhibit hall or looking for a space to connect with peers who truly "get it," make sure to stop by Kathy Hassey’s table (Booth #207) for Northeastern University. Pick up a survey, share your unvarnished experience, and take five minutes to contribute to the data that will shape the future of school health advocacy.

When we were interviewed for the breakout session, we spoke about the power of transforming passion into purposeful action. This survey is a piece of that action. By gathering our collective data, we stop being isolated clinical islands and start becoming a unified force for student health equity.

Click here to take our survey on building stronger school nurse leadership. 

Whether you are attending the leadership session, walking the floor, or following along from your clinic back home, thank you for being the leaders our students need. Let's make sure our collective voice is heard.

Karlee Dana, MSN, RN, and Jacqui Falco, MSN, RN, NCSN are experienced school nurses and co-founders of School Nurse Compass, a platform designed to support school nurses, nurse leaders, and staffing agencies in building confident, school-ready clinicians.