School Nurse Certificate Requirements
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In order to submit an application to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for an Illinois Professional Educators License in School Nursing, students must:
- Complete the required coursework and school nurse internship (see below); and
- Pass the ISBE School Personnel Certification Test (School Nurse Content Exam), administered by the Illinois Certification Testing System prior to the beginning the school nurse internship.
To receive the school nurse certificate, students must complete the following courses: Heading link
| COURSE NAME | SEMESTER HOURS | DESCRIPTION |
| Education Perspectives in School Health (NUSP 512) | 4 | Explores the scientific knowledge base and theories of child development, educational psychology, and exceptional children. Examines the school nurse’s role as educator and special education team member. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor. |
| School Nursing Theory and Trends (NUSP 513) | 3 | Explores population-focused frameworks, health needs, and legal mandates that impact school community. Examines school nursing best practices regarding students with special healthcare needs and school health leadership. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor. |
| School Nursing Internship (NUSP 514) | 3 | Provides a guided clinical experience based on the school nursing standards of practice applied to caring for students and the school community. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor. |
| 10 TOTAL |
Internship Requirements Heading link
The internship requires 300 clinical hours in a school setting. This practicum may be completed in one or two semesters. Students may complete the majority of practicum hours while working in a school nurse position. Students not currently working in a school setting will be matched with a clinical school nursing experience. UIC faculty will conduct at least one clinical site visit, and interns will be assigned a preceptor to mentor and guide an individualized rich clinical experience.
To promote patient safety, students are required to meet UIC College of Nursing clinical compliance requirements pertaining to background checks, immunizations and drug testing before beginning the internship.