An Insider Look at Special Education: The School Nurse Role
Self-paced
1.5 credits
Full course description
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to our educational session titled, "An Inside Look at Special Education: The School Nurse Role" which addresses the critical gap in nursing education regarding the role of the school nurse in the formal process of educating students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Given many public school students have disabilities which can affect their education, this course aims to equip registered nurses with essential knowledge and skills. Topics covered include the history of educating students with disabilities, aspects of the federal legislation that guides Special Education in public schools, and the school nurse’s distinct role in providing services and supports. By enhancing nursing education in this area, we aim to improve student outcomes and provide holistic, interdisciplinary care to our pediatric population.
* Course discount available for UT Austin faculty/staff/students. Email utson_cne@nursing.utexas.edu for the discount code.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
The author and instructor for this course is Loree LaChance, DNP, MHA, RN, CNE, NCSN.
Loree earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) in Leadership from the University of Texas at Austin. For more than two decades she has focused on the needs of children in the public school setting. A strong advocate for the individualized needs in the educational environment of children with chronic health conditions, Loree firmly believes that every child deserves a school nurse and that every school nurse should be able to practice to the full extent of their specialty. After nearly 20 years in direct care, Loree has shifted her passion to advocacy and the education of stakeholders about the unique position school nursing has in elevating community health and educational outcomes. Her professional interests focus on legal protections for students with chronic medical conditions and disabilities, and her current projects include professional development activities for school nurses, authoring and co-authoring articles in the NASN School Nurse, and legislative advocacy on behalf of students with epilepsy in Texas.
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CONTINUING EDUCATION INFORMATION
AN INSIDER LOOK AT SPECIAL EDUCATION: THE SCHOOL NURSE ROLE
Presented by:
Loree LaChance, DNP, MHA, RN, CNE, NCSN
Disclosure to Participants
This activity expires 9/1/2028, and after that time, even if the course is still accessible it cannot be used for nursing continuing education credits. UT Austin School of Nursing accredited provider unit is not responsible for any use of the program beyond its expiration date.
Accreditation Statement
University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Requirements for Successful Completion
To receive contact hours for this continuing education activity, the participant must sign in, complete the entire module including participation in all activities and discussions, and complete and submit the evaluation form. Once successful completion has been verified, a “Certificate of Successful Completion” will be awarded for 1.5 contact hours.
Conflicts of Interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual has an opportunity to affect or impact educational content with which he or she may have a commercial interest or a potentially biasing relationship of a financial nature. All planners and presenters/authors/content reviewers must disclose the presence or absence of a conflict of interest relative to this activity.
The activity’s Nurse Planner has determined that no one who has the ability to control the content of this CNE activity – planning committee members and presenters/authors/content reviewers – has a conflict of interest.
Education Disclaimer
The author(s) of this continuing education activity have made reasonable efforts to ensure that all information contained herein is accurate in accordance with the latest available scientific evidence at the time of publication. However, because information regarding medications, treatment guidelines, and other healthcare information is subject to constant change, the participant is advised to always confirm practice resources before applying any learned information in practice. Activities produced by UT Austin School of Nursing are intended solely for purposes of supplementing health care professionals’ knowledge. The opinions expressed in this educational activity are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the views of The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing.
Time to complete this module: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Original release date: 9/1/2025
End date: 9/1/2028