What Schools Offer Certified School Nurse Programs in New Jersey

One of the many perks of being a registered nurse is the number of specialties you can pursue. Nursing students typically work in various work settings to gain hands-on experience in different medical specialties. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree and receiving a nursing license there are dozens of career opportunities available. Popular specialties include school nurse, pediatric nurse, nurse case manager, charge nurse, labor and delivery nurse, home health nurse, and nurse practitioner.

What is a certified school nurse?

A certified school nurse is typically the only healthcare provider that cares for the students and faculty. School nurses provide a wide range of health services including mandated screenings of hearing, vision, and height/weight. On top of health screenings, school nurses administer medications, monitor students with chronic health conditions, and administer first aid. School nurses also conduct health awareness and training on many different topics. The number one priority of school nurses is keeping the children healthy, safe, and ready to learn.

History of school nursing

The first country to pave the way towards the school nurse specialty was France back in 1873. France started to mandate the supervision of students by enforcing sanitary conditions in the effort to control spreading illness and diseases. In 1900, the U.S. followed France’s model of having physicians go to schools to identify students with communicable diseases such as measles, scarlet fever, and diphtheria.

A nurse named Lillian Wald convinced the New York Board of Education to hire one of her Henry Street Settlement nurses in NYC public schools in 1902. Lina Rogers ended up getting hired by the Board of Education as the first school nurse in the United States. According to a 2021 study done by the national association of school nursing, about 65.7% of schools have access to full-time school nurses.

Certified School Nurse Certification Programs in NJ

Just received your New Jersey Registered Nurse license and decided you want to be a certified school nurse (CSN)? There are multiple colleges and universities in NJ that offer certified school nursing programs. Below is a list of schools that you can receive your certification from and information regarding the program.

Caldwell University

Caldwell University is located in Caldwell, New Jersey. The certified school nurse admission requirements are:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Current NJ registered professional nurse license by the NJ State Board of Nursing
• Current CPR and AED certification
• At least 21 semester credit hours of study

Receiving a School Nurse Certification qualifies the holder to perform nursing services and to teach in areas related to health in public schools.

Caldwell University also has a non-instructional certified school nurse program. Admission requirements for this program are the same as the instructional program besides needing only 15 credit hours of study instead of 21. The non-instructional certified school nurse program allows the holder to perform nursing services and to teach in public school’s settings. It does not allow the holder to teach in areas related to health.

Caldwell University Certified School Nurse Program Instructional Website: https://www.caldwell.edu/programs/school-nurse-certification-program/

Caldwell University Certified School Nurse Program Non-Instructional Website: https://www.caldwell.edu/programs/school-nurse-certification-program-non-instructional/

Kean University

Kean University offers both an instructional and non-instructional certified school nurse program. Their campus is located in Union, New Jersey. For the certified school nurse instructional program, Kean University’s admission requirements include:

• Proof of valid NJ RN License
• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Official transcripts from all institutions attended
• Presentation of evidence of the following courses: NURS 3015 Health Assessment, NURS 4020 Population Focused Nursing in the Community OR NURS 3200 Professional Nursing Practice: HP Community, and PSY 3110 Life-Span Developmental Psychology
• Professional resume/CV

The program’s requirements are:

• 16 credits
• Current professional liability insurance
• Current CPR/AED certification
• Criminal background check
• Current physical examination, NURS 5503 – School Nurse as an Educator, NJURS 5511 – School Health Education Practice
• Memberships in National Association of School Nurses and NJ State School Nurses Association

For the non-instructional school nurse program the admission requirements are the same as the instructional program. The program requirements are:

• 12 credits
• Current professional liability insurance
• Current CPR/AED certification
• Criminal background check
• Current physical examination
• Memberships in National Association of School Nurses and NJ State School Nurses Association.

Kean University School Certified Nurse Program Instructional Website: https://kean.smartcatalogiq.com/2020-2021/graduate-catalog/colleges-programs-by-college/nathan-weiss-graduate-college/school-of-nursing/copy-of-graduate-certificate-school-nurse-instructional-track/

Kean University School Certified Nurse Program Non-Instructional Website: https://kean.smartcatalogiq.com/2020-2021/graduate-catalog/colleges-programs-by-college/nathan-weiss-graduate-college/school-of-nursing/graduate-certificate-in-school-nursing-non-instructional-track/

New Jersey City University

NJCU graduate certified school nurse program is a robust, fully online stepwise graduate-level program. The university offers both non-instructional and instructional graduate school nurse programs and a master of science in nursing with a specialization in school nursing. For both certificate programs the admission criteria includes:

• Completing the online application
• Official transcripts from all previous U.S. colleges attended or official NACES course-by-course evaluation of any foreign transcripts
• Submission of a 250-500-word essay discussing goals and objectives for pursing admission to the intended program
• Professional resume/CV
• Copy of current, unencumbered NJ nursing license

The pre-requisites are:

• BSN degree from an ACEN or CCNE-accredited institution that is also a regionally accredited college/university and
• Undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0-point scale.

For the M.S. program the admission criteria required is

• Complete online application
• Official transcripts from all previous U.S. colleges attended or official NACES course-by-course evaluation of any foreign transcripts
• Submission of a 250-500-word essay discussing goals and objectives for pursuing admission to the intended program, official transcripts from all previous U.S. colleges attended or official NACES course-by-course evaluation of any foreign transcripts
• Two letters of recommendation
• Professional resume/cv
• Official copy of GRE scores or waiver
• Copy of current, unencumbered NJ nursing license
• Official documentation of English Language Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS)

The pre-requisites are:

• BSN degree from an ACEN or CCNE-accredited institution that is also a regionally accredited college/university
• Undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0-point scale

New Jersey City University Certified School Nurse Program Website: https://www.njcu.edu/academics/schools-colleges/college-professional-studies/departments/nursing/graduate-nursing/graduate-school-nurse-certificate-program

New Jersey City University M.S. Certified School Nursing Program Website: https://www.njcu.edu/academics/schools-colleges/college-professional-studies/departments/nursing/graduate-nursing/master-science-ms-nursing-specialization-school-nursing

Rowan University

Rowan University is located in Glassboro, NJ. The University offers a Certified School Nursing Post-Baccalaureate Program. The admission requirements for Rowan’s program are:

• Completion of the application
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended (regardless of number of credits earned)
• Current professional resume
• Certificate program knowledge
• Minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.75
• Copy of current NJ RN License or copy of official NCLEX letter showing passing scores
• Copy of CPR & AED certifications
• An essay

Rowan University Certified School Nursing Program website: https://global.rowan.edu/programs/school-nursing-post-baccalaureate-certification.html

Rutgers University – Camden

Rutgers University’s Camden campus offers 3 different pathways towards becoming a certified school nurse (CSN). They offer a graduate school nurse certificate program, a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty in school nursing, and a second MSN track for post-baccalaureate certified school nurses.

The admission requirements for Rutgers certified school nursing programs include:

• Valid current license as a Registered Nurse in New Jersey
• Bachelor’s degree from a n accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Hold current certifications for CPR/AED
• Two letters of recommendation
• Current resume
• General education courses (45 credits)
• Foundation courses (19 credits) in:
  • Sociology of Childhood and Adolescence
  • Community Health Nursing
  • Community Health Practicum
  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Intercultural Elective

Rutgers University School Nursing Programs Website: https://nursing.camden.rutgers.edu/school-nurse

The College of New Jersey

TCNJ offers a Certified School Nurse Instructional program. All the classes are offered fully online in a combination of synchronous and asynchronous settings. There are opportunities for in-person interaction with faculty and peers that is built into the curriculum. The application requirements include:

• Valid current license as a Registered Nurse in New Jersey
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Official transcript from each college or university attended other than TCNJ
• Two letters of recommendation
• Student essay
• Resume/CV (with a bulleted list of activities with participation dates)

TCNJ’s Certified School Nursing Program’s Website: https://graduate.tcnj.edu/explore-programs/school-nurse-instruct-cert/

William Paterson University

William Paterson University is located in Wayne, NJ. They offer both instructional and non-instructional certified school nursing programs and an MSN in school nursing. The certified school nurse program is a graduate level non-degree program. Upon completion of the non-instructional program, the holder is authorized to perform nursing services in public school but does not authorize the holder to teach in areas related to health. Completion of the instructional program allows the holder to teach in areas related to health and perform nursing services in public schools. The MSN in School Nursing program is a 33-credit graduate degree program.

Certified School Nurse Program: Non-Instructional & Instructional Track Admission Requirements:

• Complete online application
• BSN from an accredited college or university
• Official transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended
• Copy of current NJ RN License
• Official academic transcripts
• Successful completion of courses: Developmental Psychology and Community/Public Health Nursing

MSN in School Nursing Admission Requirements:

• BSN from an accredited college or university
• Official transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended
• Copy of current NJ RN License
• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale
• A course in Developmental Psychology/Lifespan Development
• A course in Public Health/Community Nursing

William Paterson University’s School Certified Nursing Programs Website: https://www.wpunj.edu/cosh/departments/nursing/graduate-programs/School-nurse-certificate-programs.html

William Paterson University’s School Nursing MSN Program Website: https://www.wpunj.edu/cosh/departments/nursing/graduate-programs/msn-schoolnurse

New Jersey has excellent certified school nursing programs to choose from. If you are a Registered Nurse looking for a rewarding opportunity, school nursing may be the perfect opportunity for you! If you’re located in New Jersey or New York, one of our dedicated recruiters can help you find the perfect school nursing job. Simply apply online and we’ll get you started!