National School Nurse Day is typically celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurse Week which is always May 6th through May 12th.

In 1902, Lina Rogers Struthers, RN entered a city school in New York City as the first school to provide service to four (4) New York City schools where absentee rates were among the highest due to communicable disease; and one year and 26 school nurses later, the absentee rate in the four (4) city schools had decreased by 90 percent.

National School Nurse day was established in 1972 to foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting.

The role of the school nurse has developed to include that of educator, advocate, manager, change agent and care provider; promoting the academic success of students through collaborations with parents, school staff, physicians and the community.

By a Proclamation in 2021, Fulton County honors School Nurses on May 12th of every year.