Amalgamated School Nurses Association

Valuing difference and diversity

Thursday 27 August 2009, Thistle Marble Arch Hotel, London

School nurses work in a number of different settings around the education and health of children and young people including independent schools, mainstream primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges of further education.
The scope of our practice is just as diverse - from touchline and classroom, to strategy and policy making. This conference aims to support all school nurses whether in a clinical or management role by stimulating interest, identifying new ways of working, networking, and supporting them in their every day practice.

For further information, please contact

Louise Walczak
RCN Event
Tel: 0207 647 3579
Email: indieschoolnurses@rcn.org.uk

ERIC (Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence) is the only national charity providing information and support to children, parents and health professionals on all aspects of childhood continence including bedwetting, daytime wetting, soiling and constipation.

ERIC offers a range of specialist training days on childhood continence providing information on current developments relating to the assessment, treatment and management process. With two new courses, updated programmes and a growing team of specialist course leaders, this year the training days are going from strength to strength. Led by speakers acclaimed in their field, courses take place across the UK throughout the year. All ERIC seminars qualify for CPD accreditation and comply with the Skills for Health Nursing Competencies Framework.

If you are looking to train a number of colleagues within your team ERIC also provides expert in-house training that can be tailor-made to fit your specific training requirements. This can be a really cost effective way of brining everyone up to speed in an area that requires a specialist approach and in-depth knowledge and understanding.

This one-day course is taking place on Monday 13 July at the NCYPE campus in Lingfield Surrey. It is aimed at nurses who work with children and young people and who want to learn more about epilepsy.
The cost is just 40 per person which includes lunch, refreshments and delegate pack.

Further details and a booking form are available from www.ncype.org.uk/epilepsy or by emailing info@ncype.org.uk or by calling
01342 832243 ext 296.

One in 10 children and young people will experience behavioural, emotional and mental health problems at some point in their lives. However, identifying mental health problems and responding appropriately can prove challenging for nurses working with children and young people. The RCN has prepared this publication to assist those nurses who are not mental health specialists who work with children and young people in community and hospital settings. It will help them in identifying the skills and knowledge they need to recognise and, if necessary, refer children who have problems affecting their mental health.

Download at: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/235299/003311.pdf

The RCN are updating the survey on school nurses from 2005.
You can take part in this, even if you are not a member, by going to: http://www.employmentresearch.co.uk/School.htm

The Red Cross has some really useful resources available at the moment. Some of these are free whilst others are available to buy, including: babysitting pack, teaching first aid, assembly lesson plans on topics such as the importance of hand washing, video and audio clips and online quizzes.

You can access it here - http://www.redcross.org.uk/TLC.asp?id=75758

This RCN toolkit provides school nurses with information, examples of good practice, and useful websites to support and
develop their professional practice. It takes into account the variety of educational settings and varying policy and practice
structures which apply to school nurses in the four countries of the UK.

It includes chapters on our public health role, working with children and young people with ongoing health needs, management and professional accountablility. There are also some examples of paperwork and policies which may be useful.

You can find it here - http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/201635/003223.pdf

Hi All

Thank you to everyone who responded to our recent questionnaire. We had a limited response but those who did gave us some very useful comments. I have tried to capture your comments and present the main points below:

* Not many members wanted us to continue to host yearly conferences and the main reason given for this was the amount of travel involved. Likewise, many members would have liked a local group or meeting.
* We have members living all over the country at present in a variety of different posts.
* Some of you expressed an interest in an advice phoneline and the ability to share information, resources and success stories online.
* Many members would like to read more about topics such as: alcohol and young people, PSHE, HPV, mental health, and sexual health.
* Some expressed an interest in sharing good practice with others.
* Most of you use the internet either daily or regularly.
* Not many members wanted to become more involved with ASNA at this time.

Corinne Sweeney

Website admin

HandsOnScotland is an online resource for anybody working with children and young people. The website provides practical information and techniques on how to respond helpfully to children and young people's troubling behaviour, build up their self-esteem and promote their positive mental wellbeing. It contains 48 topics within 14 sections that cover a wide range of mental health issues ranging from abuse to sleeping difficulties. There are also 25 sets of videos from specialists giving tips and advice. The site is continually evolving: each section has a feedback form, and comments from these forms have resulted in the website team adding or changing information and advice.

For more information please visit the website at www.handsonscotland.co.uk

The website was commissioned by the Scottish government through HeadsUpScotland and was developed by Playfield Institute (NHS Fife) in partnership with Barnardo's and the University of Dundee.