Shriners Hospitals for Children Teams up with School Nurses to Keep Kids Safe - Especially During the Summer Season

On National School Nurses Day, kids learn to be Superheroes of Summer Safety

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May 11, 2016, 06:38 ET

TAMPA, Fla., May 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Shriners Hospitals for Children^®and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) announce they are working together to encourage kids across the nation to be Superheroes of Summer Safety by following tips to reduce the risk of injuries during their summer break. Swimming-related incidents, playground accidents, as well as campfire and fire pit burns are some of the more common and potentially life-altering childhood injuries that can occur during this time of year.

Now through the end of the school year, school nurses nationwide will conduct safety demonstrations and distribute activity sheets that give basic rules for safe summertime play. It is all part of a larger, year-round collaboration between Shriners Hospitals for Children and NASN to improve the health and safety of all children. Through educational materials, events and professional training, Shriners Hospitals and NASN will work together to ensure students know how to have a fun, injury-free summer.

"We understand that school nurses are the foundation for student health," said Jerry Gantt, chairman of the Board of Directors for Shriners Hospitals for Children. "Providing school nurses with additional resources to help improve the health and safety of children is just another way we send Love to the rescue^®."

"School nurses strive to keep students healthy, safe and ready to learn," said NASN President Beth Mattey, MSN, RN, NCSN. "Working with students in schools, and their families, is a key piece of the safety puzzle and NASN is proud to be a part of Shriners Hospitals for Children's campaign."

As experts in the treatment of pediatric orthopaedic conditions, spinal cord injuries, burns and other specialty care services, Shriners Hospitals for Children provides critical, surgical and rehabilitative care to children, regardless of the families' ability to pay. Shriners Hospitals for Children urges parents and caregivers to remind kids of these simple precautions to keep them injury-free this summer:

At the playground, slide feet first and swing sitting down.
Keep children inside when lawn mowers are in use.
Keep several feet away from fire pits, campfires or grills.
Swim only with an adult present and wear lifejackets on open water.
Protect yourself from the sun with hats and sunscreen.

Become a Superhero of Summer Safety and enjoy a safe, injury-free summer. For safety tips, flyers and activity pages for children, or for information on treatments available at Shriners Hospitals, visit shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/safesummer.

About Shriners Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. Our 22 locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, provide advanced care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Learn more at shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

About National Association of School Nurses
The National Association of School Nurses is a non-profit specialty nursing organization, first organized in 1968 and incorporated in 1977, representing school nurses exclusively. NASN has more than 16,000 members and 50 affiliates, including the District of Columbia and overseas school nurses. The mission of NASN is to optimize student health and learning by advancing the practice of school nursing. Please visit us on the web at nasn.org.

Contact: Meredith Resnick
EMail: [email protected]
Phone: 202-549-0807

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SOURCE Shriners Hospitals for Children