Schools of Nursing and local school district nurses are uniquely positioned to strategically support each other’s missions and visions. How fortunate my Camden City School District (CCSD) is to have the investment and dedication of the Rutgers-Camden School of Nursing as a partner in health and learning!
This collaboration began in 2022 when more than 150 CCSD student-athletes faced the risk of being sidelined due to the requirement of physical exams for participation in school sports. Recognizing the financial and logistical barriers faced by the families in the district, where 100% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, the Rutgers-Camden School of Nursing, led by Professor Katherine Prihoda, intervened to provide free physical exams.
This initiative not only ensured that the students could participate in their sports activities but also offered an opportunity to detect potential life-changing medical conditions. The physical exams included routine screenings and assessments for conditions that could make competitive sports participation dangerous, alongside advice on lifestyle, exercise, and dietary changes to enhance health and athletic performance. The effort was a win-win, providing valuable clinical experience for nursing students while addressing a critical need within the community.
The 2023-2024 school year has seen an expansion of the physicals provided through the support of Rutgers-Camden School of Nursing. The DNP students completed 616 physical exams throughout the district. CCSD high school nurses supported the DNP project of a student whose change project focused on depression screening in adolescents. Plans are in place for CCSD middle school nurses to support another DNP student’s research in the 2024-2025 school year.
This past week, CCSD school nurses were invited to Rutgers-Camden Nursing to spend a morning of professional development, celebration, and frank discussion about the present and future of school nursing practice. We were treated to breakfast and words of praise and encouragement by Camden City dignitaries, William Spearman, Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen, Dean Donna Nickitas, Camden City Council President Angel Fuentes, and Provost Sandra Richtermeyer. CCSD Superintendent Katrina McCombs, Health Services Supervisor Renee Wickersty and Camden County Health Officer, Dr. Paschal Nwako also spoke to the school nurses about our collaborations, intense efforts to raise our immunization compliance and especially the focus on the link between health and learning.
The comments from CCSD nurses ranged from feeling seen, heard, and appreciated, to feeling invested in. Dean Nickitas reinforced the concept that school nurses are indeed the Chief Wellness Officers in our schools (even if we don’t have that official title). I believe that we all took a collective sigh of relief that we are not alone in our extraordinary efforts to provide excellence in care to our students. Investing in school nurses, supporting our collective efforts, and showing genuine appreciation for the importance of school health services, especially after the pandemic, is exactly what we needed to keep moving forward.
The partnership between the Rutgers-Camden School of Nursing and the Camden City School District exemplifies a strategic collaboration aimed at supporting the missions and visions of both institutions, particularly in enhancing student health and educational outcomes. Imagine if this partnership is replicated between schools of nursing and school districts across the country! I would love to hear if your district is collaborating with your local university school of nursing.
What a great example of a common sense collaborative effort! I’m sure it was fraught with all kinds of logistics, permissions, etc…… but it is such a simple answer to a huge issue. Great work by everybody! I hope word of this model spreads far and wide!
Thanks Judy, it really should be amplified and replicated!