The United States Constitution: Legal Literacy and School Nursing.

Abstract

The school nurse works in the nexus of health care and education, combining laws and regulations from each discipline to create the boundaries of their practice. The U.S. Constitution provides fundamental rights for all citizens and is one example of the legal parameters that apply to school nursing practice. Without understanding the implications of this legal framework, the school nurse may not recognize situations that have the potential to deny students their guaranteed rights. Through a broad discussion of the Fourth (search and seizure), Fifth (protection from self-incrimination), and Fourteenth (equal protection, due process, and parental rights) Amendments, the author presents the dangers of disregarding or being unaware of these rights. The purpose of this article is to encourage school nurses to examine their practice through the lens of the legal protections afforded by the Constitution and to discuss considerations and recommendations to improved legal literacy and application to daily practice.