The School Nurse Shortage in NY & NJ: Causes, Impact, and Staffing Solutions

School nurses play such a crucial role in keeping students healthy and safe. While many believe that school nurses only hand out icepacks and Band-Aids, they do much more than that. In recent years, school nurses have quietly become one of the most essential roles in our education system. They help manage children’s chronic health conditions, provide mental health support, and serve as first responders in emergencies. However, we are now being faced with a serious problem, there are simply not enough school nurses to adequately staff all schools.

Across both New York and New Jersey, both states are experiencing a shortage of school nurses. This impacts not only student health, but staff burn out and overall school safety. In this blog we’re going to dive deep into the school nurse shortage in NY and NJ, why we’re experiencing this shortage, how important school nurses are, the impact this shortage has, and how staffing agencies like us, can step in and help.

Why Are We Experiencing a School Nurse Shortage?

While we can’t necessarily narrow it down to one particular reason, there are a few key factors that play into this shortage we’re experiencing. A few reasons that have attributed to the school nursing shortage includes:

• An aging nursing workforce
• Budget limitations
• Post-COVID staffing challenges
• Low awareness of school nursing career opportunities
• Not enough qualified candidates

New Jersey faces the issue of not having enough qualified candidates due to the fact that for specific school nursing positions, like the health office school nurse, they need to receive their school nursing certificate. This requires nurses to go back to school in order to receive the certificate. All these reasons contribute to a significant shortage of school nurses in NY and NJ, particularly in underserved areas.

Why Are School Nurses Important?

School nurses do more than “just fix boo-boo’s” or give out ice packs. They advocate for students’ health, safety, and provide important health education. They act as a source of knowledge and support for students about making healthy lifestyle choices, addressing health concerns or any new diagnoses, and also about risk-reducing behaviors.

The truth is school nursing jobs aren’t what they used to be. These days, school nurses are more critical and complex than they have ever been before. From managing every health issue like diabetes and seizures, to asthma and allergies, they need to be skilled and knowledgeable for dozens of kids in their care. They are often the first stop for a mental health crisis and serve as calmness in the midst of chaos. When schools don’t have full-time nurses, their responsibilities fall to teachers, admins, and principals. These professions typically don’t have any background or experience with healthcare. In that case, a situation can turn bad quickly, especially in an event where there may be multiple injuries.

What Kind of Impact Does the School Nurse Shortage Have?

When schools are facing short staffing issues with nurses, there tends to be many different impacts the schools face. When a school doesn’t have a full-time nurse or has a nurse call out without coverage, we’re seeing issues such as:

• One nurse covering multiple school buildings
• Students with chronic health conditions are missing more school due to lack of support
• Teachers and staff are experiencing stress or burnouts from handling medical tasks outside their training
• Increased risk for students’ health and well-being
• Potential legal and financial liabilities for schools
• Increased workload for existing staff

How Horizon Healthcare Staffing Can Help

Here at Horizon Healthcare Staffing, we specialize in school nurse staffing in New York and New Jersey. For over 30 years, we have helped school districts across the tri-state area find and retain high quality nursing professionals to care for their students. We work with placing nurses in full-time, part-time, or per diem needs. From last minute call out coverages, to maternity leaves, to supporting school districts year-round, we’re here to continue making your students safety and health a top priority. Here is how we stand out from other healthcare staffing agencies in the tri-state area and how we can help tackle the school nurse shortage in NY and NJ:

• Certified school nurses for NJ (we send our nurses to get their certification and reimburse the cost of schooling!)
• Fast, reliable nursing placements
• We place all types of nurses – full-time, part-time, and per diem
• 24/7 dedicated support for both school administrators and nurse candidates
• Passionate recruiters to walk nurses through the clearance process
• Educational Webinars for nurses taught by Clinical Educators

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a nurse looking to become a school nurse or you’re a school looking for school nurse shortage solutions, Horizon Healthcare Staffing is here for you. School nursing shortages can potentially cause dangerous situations, but it is avoidable with the correct tools. Having access to a pool of readily qualified and available nurses can be a school’s saving grace. This is why it is important for school districts to have relationships with nursing staffing companies like us. On days when you have multiple nurses call out from different schools, we’re here to give you last-minute placements and keep your schools safe.

If you’re a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) who has a passion for making a difference, we encourage you to apply as a School Nurse. Check out our current open jobs or send in your resume and one of our dedicated recruiters will reach out to you to start the on boarding process.

For schools looking to access our staffing services, contact us today to learn more about how our staffing services can be the number one source to solve your staffing shortages. Together, we can keep students safe, supported, and healthy by having the solutions to aide the school nurse shortage in NY and NJ.