School-based Nurse Practitioners Key to Helping Students Stay Healthy

According to an Indianapolis Star article, 15 Indianapolis-area schools have a nurse practitioner (NP) on staff in their on-site health clinics. In many cases, these NPs serve as primary-care providers, not only for students, but for an entire family. In some states, nurse practitioners can diagnose conditions and write prescriptions. Although this article puts the spotlight on a local practice, the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care reports that about 24 percent of school-based health centers offer such care, and 42 percent see relatives of students. Read the entire article here.