National Association of School Nurses Position Statement: Emergency Preparedness for Schools

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that a collaborative, evidence-based, systems-thinking approach to school emergency preparedness is necessary to maintain safe, supportive, and equitable learning environments for all students. The registered professional school nurse (hereinafter referred to as “school nurse”) is an indispensable member of the school team, working together with the community to develop and implement comprehensive emergency preparedness for schools that aligns with the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Emergency preparedness and planning for schools serve to develop and maintain a culture of safety, equity, and inclusion that guards the school community from harm and supports the continuity of education by minimizing disruption (Trout et al., 2022). Components of emergency preparedness include prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery (United States Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], 2023a). These actions are achieved through “a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating, and taking corrective action” (FEMA, n.d.).

The development and implementation of a collaborative, evidence-based, systems-thinking approach to comprehensive emergency preparedness planning and response requires school nursing expertise (Kalekas, 2024; Pampati et al., 2023; Rose et al., 2023). In addition, the presence of a school nurse in school all day, every day is indispensable for providing regular surveillance, injury prevention, triage, first aid, physical and psychosocial healthcare, evacuation facilitation, specialized care coordination for students with complex health needs, and emergency preparedness education and training for staff (Kalekas, 2024; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2021; Shannon & Guilday, 2019).

Effective, coordinated emergency preparedness and response planning efforts also call for shared responsibilities among school nurses, administrators, staff, community leaders, and policymakers (FEMA, 2020a; NASN, 2022). As core members of the emergency preparedness team, school nurses are uniquely positioned to collaborate proactively with school staff and community leaders (Galemore, 2023). Conducting emergency preparedness planning activities in advance of a crisis establishes interprofessional relationships that enhance effective communication and coordination during an actual emergency event (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2022).

School emergency preparedness teams should familiarize themselves with concepts and principles outlined in the NIMS framework, which includes the Incident Command System (Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center [REMS TA Center], 2021). These documents specify standardized sets of operational approaches to guide personnel across governmental, community, educational, and private sectors to work together effectively during an incident (FEMA, 2023b; REMS TA Center, 2023; United States Department of Education, 2019). Adopting these guidelines strengthens the school community's capability to effectively manage emergency incidents in a coordinated manner (FEMA, 2020b).

A comprehensive approach to emergency preparedness for schools should include plans that address risk and vulnerability assessment, regular staff training, efficient communication, psychosocial health support systems, and the development of Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) for schools (Schoolsafety.gov, n.d.). EOPs encompass an all-hazards approach that outlines responses to potential local, regional, or widespread incidents (REMS TA Center, 2022). These incidents may include but are not limited to natural hazards (such as floods, earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, or other natural occurrences), public health threats (such as local illness outbreaks or widespread pandemics), and human-caused events (e.g., violence, industrial accidents, or acts of terrorism). Comprehensive school EOPs facilitate coordinated, rapid response and recovery efforts that can reduce the impact of disasters (SchoolSafety.gov, n.d.; US Department of Education, 2019).

Emergency preparedness efforts protect the health, safety, and security of the school community and keep students on track educationally (NASN, 2022). School nurses, as key leaders in healthcare, public health, and education, contribute essential expertise to all phases of comprehensive school emergency preparedness and response. Collaborative efforts involving school nurses, educational administrators, community leaders, and policymakers are critical to achieving well-coordinated emergency preparedness planning and responses before, during, and after events and fostering resilient learning environments that are safe, supportive, and equitable for all students.