Deposit Photos stock image

---

As New Jersey schools work to address ongoing school nurse vacancies, a new state grant will provide financial assistance and other support for 20 registered nurses to complete the School Nurse Certificate Program at Rutgers School of Nursing. 

For the second consecutive year, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, through its GAINS (Growing Apprenticeships in Nontraditional Sectors) initiative, is supporting the School Nurse Residency operated by the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing (NJCCN).  

The grant covers tuition for three required certificate courses and the New Jersey Department of Education certification fee. The residency also provides structured mentorship to support student success. 

“This residency prepares nurses to confidently lead school health programs and respond to the increasingly complex medical and behavioral health needs of students,” said Cathy Grano (DNP, RN, NCSN), clinical instructor and specialty director of the School Nurse Certificate Program. “By integrating coursework with mentored practice and reducing financial barriers, the residency creates a structured pathway to certification.” 

The 12-month residency supports registered nurses as they complete Rutgers’ post-baccalaureate School Nurse Certificate Program. Participants fulfill the required coursework while gaining supervised experience in school settings. Graduates are eligible for New Jersey state certification as a school nurse and as a teacher of health education for grades K–12. 

The courses in the certificate program are primarily online, offering flexibility for working nurses.  

“School nurses are often the first point of health care contact for children and families,” said Daria Waszak (DNP, RN, CNE, COHN-S), clinical associate professor at Rutgers School of Nursing and executive director of NJCCN. “As a state-designated center focused on nursing workforce solutions, NJCCN works to align education, practice, and research. This residency model addresses all three while helping districts build workforce capacity.” 

The residency program’s apprenticeship-based model is rarely seen in school nurse preparation, said Waszak. “The combination of professional development, financial access, and mentorship makes it uniquely innovative in the U.S.” 

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree, a valid New Jersey registered nurse license, and current CPR/AED certification. The residency is designed for nurses, especially those holding an emergency certificate, who are employed in school settings in New Jersey and plan to complete the requirements for full School Nurse Certification. 

Experts explain 14% of New Jersey schools lack a certified school nurse. However, schools can hire nurses with an emergency certificate when fully certified school nurses are unavailable. The emergency credential allows a registered nurse to work in a school while completing the required coursework for full certification and is typically valid for up to two years.

The certificate program at Rutgers School of Nursing is fully approved by the New Jersey Department of Education, which issues the New Jersey School Nurse Certificate. The inaugural School Nurse Residency cohort will complete the program in May of this year. The second cohort begins this summer. To learn more, see the School Nurse Certificate Overview.