School nursing is a complex and evolving specialty that plays a vital role in student health and academic success. To support the professional growth and evaluation of school nurses, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) has developed a resource that school administrators may find helpful as a complement to local performance and development processes.
The Maine School Nurse Evaluation Tool: School Nurse Competencies and Evaluation is now available as an optional guide for school administrators, school nurse supervisors, and school nurses to use in part or in full. In addition to its use as a comprehensive evaluation tool designed for school nurses, this instrument may also be utilized to guide goal setting by focusing on school nursing standards or objectives. It is aligned with the National Association of School Nurses’ (NASN) School Nursing Practice Framework™ and adapted from the Tennessee Department of Education’s School Nurse Competencies & Evaluation guide.
As outlined on the Maine DOE Educator Performance & Development webpage, a comprehensive approach for performance and development is essential to ensuring that Maine schools have quality teachers and leaders, including school nurses. The implementation of Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth (PEPG) systems places a premium on developing viable processes that identify, maximize, support, and maintain excellence among teachers and principals. This can and should extend to all other support staff, too. By utilizing tools such as this, school nurses can be evaluated on their professional nursing practice based on established national standards.
Further information about school health services and school nursing practice—including many resources—is available on the Maine DOE website. With questions, please contact Emily Poland, Maine DOE School Nurse Consultant, at emily.poland@maine.gov.
