Victorian School Nurses Association

09/10/2025

World Mental Health Day aims to raise global awareness of mental health issues and encourage action to support mental wellbeing. It provides a chance for communities and professionals to discuss mental health and advocate for accessible care for everyone. This year’s theme, “Connect with your community,” highlights the importance of building connections with people and places where we feel supported, safe, and understood. Communities can take many forms—such as families, social groups, clubs, schools, or online spaces. On October 10, Mental Health Australia encourages everyone to talk about mental health, reduce stigma, reach out for help, and strengthen community connections.
Please remember to speak up.
https://www.mentalhealthaustralia.org.au/get-involved/2025-world-mental-health-day/

06/10/2025

Welcome to Term 4! 🙂

04/10/2025

New blog from Sage Perspectives: How Nurses Keep Students at School: Alternatives to Reduce Medical Exclusion

This piece highlights the crucial role school nurses play in reducing medical exclusion through parent outreach, on-site health clinics, and removing barriers, enabling students to stay in class. One Illinois initiative cut exclusion by 87%! 📉
🔗 Read more: https://ow.ly/Se0I50X4rNe

Sage Publications

03/10/2025

02/10/2025

⚠️ Risk of overdose in babies when using prilocaine/lidocaine cream (EMLA and generic brands) ⚠️

We have investigated 2 serious adverse event cases in young babies who had EMLA (prilocaine/lidocaine cream) applied to their skin for local anaesthesia. Both cases were likely to have involved overdose.

Prilocaine/lidocaine cream (EMLA and various generic brands) is used for topical anaesthesia – to numb the skin – before minor medical procedures.

Overdose of prilocaine/lidocaine can cause serious adverse effects that include methaemoglobinaemia - a condition that reduces the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. In severe cases, methaemoglobinaemia can lead to seizures or even death.

Symptoms of methaemoglobinaemia may include headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, poor muscle coordination and bluish appearance of the skin (cyanosis). Complications may include seizures and irregular heart rhythm.

Parents and carers should be aware that overdose is possible when applying prilocaine/lidocaine cream to a child’s skin. The overdose risk is particularly high for infants under 3 months and other young children.

You should not use more than the recommended amount of prilocaine/lidocaine cream on a child’s skin, and it should not be left on the skin for longer than the recommended time.

As prilocaine/lidocaine cream is commonly applied before circumcision of young babies, it is important to follow the dosage and application guidelines carefully in that situation. The recommended amount is 1 g applied to the fo****in for a maximum of 1 hour.

Read more: https://www.tga.gov.au/safety-and-shortages/safety-monitoring-and-information/safety-alerts/risk-overdose-babies-when-using-prilocainelidocaine-cream-emla-and-generic-brands

01/10/2025

Qualified registered nurses will soon be able to write prescriptions for medications, in a bid to ease pressure on a stressed public healthcare system.

30/09/2025

Taking effect today, The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) has published a new registration standard and guidelines to support registered nurse prescribing.
Find more information here: https://bit.ly/4q4Pw2P

28/09/2025

Looking forward to seeing those booked into
Our inaugural 2 day clinical workshop brought to you by VSNA and Benchmarque Group.

A reminder to registrants this is catered for morning tea, lunch on both days and workshop dinner on Monday is included in your ticket.

16/09/2025

Meet our expert presenters and panellists for tonight’s CVU mini webinar on pneumococcal vaccination! 🧑‍💻

Healthcare professionals, don’t miss this opportunity to hear the latest on pneumococcal vaccination following recent changes to the childhood and adolescence vaccination schedule 💉📋

🕕 6:00–7:00 pm AEST
Register now via the link in our bio 🔗

(NB: This is a live event, after the webinar a recording will be exclusively available to Education Portal users with a paid membership)

15/09/2025

Do you work in a boarding school?
Join our new President Jess today (or on demand) presenting Concussions in Boarding Schools for Australian Boarding Schools Association.

Topics that will cover:What is a concussion?Head assessmentsReturn to school and sportChallengesTips for boarding staff

14/09/2025

Meet the committee...

Jessie have been a primary health care/preventative health care nurse since 2013 and has been school nursing since the start of last year. Jessie is currently working full time at a new specialist school and is passionate about equal recognition for primary health nurses.

13/09/2025

Meet your new VSNA Committee......

Mel has an extensive foundation in critical intensive care and ongoing clinical practice. She began her journey into school nursing 4 years ago. Mel's goal is to make a meaningful difference where it matters most, early in life. She is passionate about promoting health, guiding informed choices, and fostering a supportive environment that nurtures long term wellbeing in students.