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Health care down the hallyway: school health experts handle everything from boo-boos to ahchoos.

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Remember when you were a little kid and scraped your elbow on the school playground? or when you had an upset stomach in the middle of show-and-tell? In both cases, you probably were sent to the nurse's office. With a soothing voice, he or she patched you up as good as new or called your parents to take you home.

You're older now, but that doesn't mean you've outgrown the need for health care. Instead of first aid for a skinned knee, maybe you need help taking care of your diabetes or someone to talk to about sad feelings. Your school may have just the person to help.

School Nurses

Most public and private schools depend on nurses to help keep students healthy. Nurses can give medication for sudden illnesses and for long-term conditions, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. They can administer shots, screen students for eye and ear problems, give advice about good nutrition, and perform first aid. They can refer students to doctors when necessary (such as for an infection or a case of hives). And in emergencies, school nurses can keep sick or injured students safe until help arrives.

"Students visit me for all sorts of reasons," notes Claire Welch, a high school nurse in Sabattus, Maine. They could come to have a bruise treated or a cut bandaged, or they may need help for headaches or ankle sprains. Other visits may be for help with everything from strep throat to mental health issues. But nurses can do more than just treat illnesses or injuries students already have. "School nurses will talk to students honestly and without judgment, promoting health habits that can last a lifetime," says Martha Garriott, a high school nurse in Norman, Okla....