(2) The State Department of Education, through the Office of Healthy Schools, shall develop Standard, procedures and criteria for the public school nurse programs in Kindergarten through Grade 12. The Office of Healthy Schools of the State Department of Education shall assume the responsibility for promoting a statewide school nurse program designed to prepare local school districts to incorporate the school program into their local educational programs.

(4) The nurses in the Mary Kirkpatrick Haskell-Mary Sprayberry Public School Nurse Program shall have the following specific responsibilities:

• (a) Serve as the coordinator of the health services program and provide nursing care;
• (b) Provide health education to students;
• (c) Implement activities to promote health and prevent tobacco, alcohol and substance use and abuse;
• (d) Identify health and safety concerns in the school environment and promote a nurturing social environment;
• (e) Administer medications and help students manage their health problems;
• (f) Support healthy food services programs;

(2) By the school year 1998-1999, each public school district shall have employed a school nurse, to be known as a Health Service Coordinator, pursuant to the school nurse intervention program prescribed under this section. The school nurse intervention program shall offer any of the following specific preventive services, and other additional services appropriate to each grade level and the age and maturity of the pupils:

• (a) Reproductive health education and referral to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, which education shall include abstinence;
• (b) Child abuse and neglect identification;
• (c) Hearing and vision screening to detect problems which can lead to serious sensory losses and behavioral and academic problems;
• (d) Alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse education to reduce abuse of these substances;
• (e) Scoliosis screening to detect this condition so that costly and painful surgery and lifelong disability can be prevented;
• (f) Coordination of services for handicapped children to ensure that these children receive appropriate medical assistance and are able to remain in public school;
• (g) Nutrition education and counseling to prevent obesity and/or other eating disorders which may lead to life-threatening conditions, for example, hypertension;
• (h) Early detection and treatment of head lice to prevent the spread of the parasite and to reduce absenteeism;
• (i) Emergency treatment of injury and illness to include controlling bleeding, managing fractures, bruises or contusions and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR);
• (j) Applying appropriate theory as the basis for decision making in nursing practice;
• (k) Establishing and maintaining a comprehensive school health program;
• (l) Developing individualized health plans;
• (m) Assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating programs and other school health activities, in collaboration with other professionals;
• (n) Providing health education to assist students, families and groups to achieve optimal levels of wellness;

1.1.1 SCHOOL NURSE DELIVERY MODELS

School nurses may be employed in a variety of delivery models in Mississippi. All of them are viable, productive models aimed at providing health services to the school-age students in the state. Which model a school district selects should depend on the school district's assessment of its needs as well as the resources it has to support the chosen model.

TRADITIONAL SCHOOL NURSE Historically the most utilized model in Mississippi allows for one or more school nurses to be present, depending on the school district's preference and resources. The job description may vary from school to school, so it should be negotiated by the school and/or the district along with the nurse. School nurses salaries and programs are supported by various funding sources.