Each local or regional board of education shall appoint one or more school nurses or nurse practitioners. Such school nurses and nurse practitioners appointed by such boards shall be qualified pursuant to regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 by the State Board of Education in consultation with the Department of Public Health. Such school nurses may also act as visiting nurses in the town, may visit the homes of pupils in the public schools and shall assist in executing the orders of the school medical advisor, if there is any in such town, and perform such other duties as are required by such board.

The guidelines recommend that school districts additionally follow the National Association of School Nurses' recommended qualification requirement of a baccalaureate degree.

Except as provided in Section 10-212-3, in order to qualify as a school nurse each nurse or nurse practitioner shall meet the following requirements:

(a) Licensure--Each nurse or nurse practitioner shall be a registered professional nurse, designated as R.N., as defined in Section 20-87a of the General Statutes, and currently licensed in the state of Connecticut.

(b) Experience--Each nurse or nurse practitioner shall have at least the equivalent of one year full time working experience as a registered nurse within five (5) years immediately prior to employment as a school nurse.

(c) Education--Each nurse or nurse practitioner shall have academic preparation to include twelve (12) academic credits at a licensed or accredited institution of higher learning or eighteen (18) continuing education units (CEUs) or one hundred eighty (180) workshop or inservice hours distributed as follows:

• (1) Six (6) credits or nine (9) CEUs or ninety (90) workshop hours in at least two of the following subject areas:

• (A) Growth and Development

• (B) Health Assessment

• (C) Public or Community Health or School Health

• (2) Six (6) credits or nine (9) CEUs or ninety (90) workshop hours in two or more of the following subject areas:

• (A) Administration or Organization of Health or School Services

• (B) Child or Adolescent Psychology

• (C) Crisis Intervention

• (D) Growth and Development

• (E) Handicapping Conditions

• (F) Health Assessment

• (G) Health Education

• (H) Mental Health

• (I) Public or Community Health or School Health

• (J) Sociology

• (K) Sports Medicine

A local or regional board of education may require that each registered nurse providing school health services meets the qualifications as set forth in Section 10-212-2 of these regulations whether employed by the board of education or appointed under contract with a local health agency.