How School Nurses Can Support Students With Neurodevelopmental Disorders

The prevalence of students diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders is steadily increasing each year, with an increase of 3.8 percent in 2024. Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) can affect how students learn, communicate, regulate emotions, process sensory information, and interact with others. While every student’s needs are different, school nurses play a critical role in creating environments where students feel safe, understood, and supported.

Understanding Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders are a range of disorders that affect how the brain functions and develops. These disorders begin in childhood, and they can have physical and social impacts on a student’s experiences and interactions. 

Some neurodevelopmental disorders include:

• Autism spectrum disorders
• Communication disorders
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Motor disorders
• Intellectual disabilities
• Specific learning disorders

Each of these disorders affects a student’s experience differently and requires different types of support from school nurses and other support staff.

How School Nurses Can Support Students

As the rate of neurodevelopmental disorder diagnoses increases, school support staff need to understand the right ways to support different student needs and situations. Students with neurodevelopmental disorders are present in almost every class, and identifying their needs is crucial to helping them achieve positive health outcomes and learning success.

Here are some of the most common job responsibilities of school nurses in relation to supporting students with neurodevelopmental disorders:

Foster Safe Environments

School professionals share responsibility for providing a safe environment for every student, and school nurses play a vital role in that process. They have specialized skills in recognizing structural or behavioral barriers that may prevent a student from having an optimal emotional or physical learning environment. They can promote academic success and better health outcomes by establishing safe environments for all students, especially those with neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Interpret Sensory Needs

Many students with neurodevelopmental disorders have sensory issues included in their diagnostic criteria. This is when any of the five senses are hypersensitive (an over-response) or hyposensitive (an under-response) to stimulation. A school nurse can support student sensory issues by identifying and accommodating based on specific behaviors and situations. Some examples might include alternate plans for scheduled fire alarms, noise reduction for crowded school events, and support in sensory awareness and coping mechanisms.

Manage Crises

The role of school nurses has been consistently elevated to being a key part of school-based mental health teams. When students with neurodevelopmental disorders have acute episodes, nurses are often on the front lines of managing and supporting those situations. These episodes can be triggered by behavior regression, sleep-related issues, externalizing behaviors, or internalizing symptoms — all of these require a trained, supportive response from school nurses and other trained health professionals.

Implement Individual Health Plans

School nurses are essential team members in establishing and implementing individualized student health plans. Students may have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan. Understanding the difference between these two types of plans is important when considering the needs and services required for student success. As part of an IEP or 504 plan team, school nurses work to ensure students are meeting their goals and thriving physically and mentally.

Support Comprehensive Student Experiences

Many students with neurodevelopmental disorders need support in developing self-advocacy, self-awareness, and other day-to-day skills that can improve their social and academic experiences. School nurses can also work on school-wide initiatives to reduce stigma and increase compassion. This comprehensive view of a student’s environment and needs is critical in providing big-picture support for a positive school experience.

Other School Health Support Staff

School nurses are just one piece of the critical school health care teams that support students with neurodevelopmental disorders. Some of the other disciplines that work closely with students with neurodevelopmental disorders and collaborate with school nurses include:

• Applied behavioral analysis therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Registered behavior technicians
• Special education teachers
• Specialized paraprofessionals
• Speech-language pathologists
• Child life specialists
• Social workers

Each of these positions helps set students up for success through therapy, accommodations, development, and direct support.

The Benefits of a Career in School Nursing

Nursing is a fulfilling career in a variety of settings, but school nursing in particular can be particularly rewarding. Here are a few of the career benefits of specializing in school nursing:

Personal Connection

School nurses have an opportunity to create and develop meaningful bonds with students, particularly when they work with them regularly — situations involving neurodevelopmental disorders typically mean regular time and trusted relationships. School nurses can be pivotal players in helping students achieve personal and academic success, and that relationship can provide significant fulfillment.

Work/Life Balance

Nurses regularly have unpredictable schedules and difficult hours. As a school nurse, work schedules are more predictable with regular daytime shifts. The school-year calendar works well for families, and working overtime or on weekends is rare. This rare predictability in healthcare can significantly increase the time available for family and friends, hobbies, and travel. That balance decreases the likelihood of burnout and allows school nurses to have fulfilling personal and professional lives.

Variety

School nursing job responsibilities vary greatly from day to day. That fast-paced variety throughout the days and weeks of working in education can be appealing to nurses who enjoy change and challenges. Education is continually evolving in response to student needs and the increase in neurodevelopmental disorders. School nurses are on the front lines of understanding those challenges and learning how to best respond to changing classroom landscapes.

School Nursing Careers With SHC

The need for school nurses who are sensitive to the specific needs of students with neurodevelopmental disorders will continue to increase. Supplemental Health Care has an experienced team of school setting experts who can help nurses find the right school opportunity. These school-specific assignments have varying contract lengths and locations, providing ample career flexibility and opportunity.

Check out the Supplemental Health Care job search portal to find a school nursing opportunity, or visit our Schools page to learn more about how to get started with a career in school nursing. 

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School Nursing FAQs

Below are a few of the frequently asked questions about neurodevelopmental disorders and supporting students: