School nurses a ‘critical bridge’: Health care pros are spread thin in Vancouver schools

Heather Williams spent 15 years working at a hospital before she became a school nurse in 2019.

“There’s a lot more vast knowledge that you need to have as a school nurse, because we deal with so many different things,” Williams said. “I can go anywhere from being a respiratory nurse helping someone with their inhaler to a diabetic nurse.”

Research shows that school nurses are an integral aspect of the education system . They do far more than put bandages on knees skinned at recess. They support students with chronic conditions, manage health rooms and administer medication. But limited state funding means most local schools, even in Clark County’s two largest districts, don’t have a full-time nurse on site five days a week.

Williams is one of 28 nurses who serve Vancouver Public Schoo