A Message from School Health Services

Beginning January 1st, 2025, the School Health Screening and SBIRT in Schools trainings will no longer be required for DESE licensure.  If you have a license pending, and all you are missing are these two trainings, your license will be processed ASAP.  We will continue to offer the trainings, as they ARE required if you will be conducting the screenings, but we hope this helps to reduce one of the barriers for those who are working on licensure, or for those who need to hire new school nurses.  From January 1st onward, ONLY the Foundations of School Nursing Practice and Medication Administration in a School Setting: School Nursing Practice in Massachusetts will be required for Initial licensure.

 

  • To work in public schools, nurses must be licensed by the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). A condition of licensure is the completion of an orientation program defined by the MA Department of Public Health (MDPH). 
  • For public and non-public entities, the 4th and 5th course listed on this page is mandated every three years for School Nurse Managers who are listed as signatories on the school entity’s MDPH Medication Administration Registration Application.
  1. Foundations of School Nursing Practice
  2. School Health Screening Training - As of January 1st, 2025, this course will no longer be mandated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) in order to be licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as a School Nurse
  3. SBIRT in Schools - As of January 1st, 2025, this course will no longer be mandated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) in order to be licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as a School Nurse
  4. Medication Administration in a School Setting: School Nursing Practice in Massachusetts
  5. REQUIRED COURSE FOR SCHOOL NURSE MANAGERS WHO ARE SIGNATORIES ON THE MED ADMIN REGISTRATION APPLICATION: Medication Administration in Schools: What School Nurse Managers Need to Know

Looking for the Medication Administration for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) course? You can find it here.

 

♦ Note: For PE Teachers, we offer a training on BMI and Postural health screenings.

 

Please email shieldbu@bu.edu or call us at 617.358.5005 with any questions.