School nurses are fighting to save their professional lives as budget cuts take a toll on their numbers in school districts across the country. A small cadre of school nurse leaders gathered in Washington, D.C., in December, eager to make a difference in their schools and locals. At the School Nurse Leadership Development conference, they shared concerns about the state of their profession and ideas about the direction it needs to take.

The leaders say the best way to create change is to establish local chapters or task forces back home that will reach out to the community, visibly providing service and educating the public. AFT Healthcare's "Every Child Needs a School Nurse" campaign is designed to help by seeking state legislation to put a nurse in every school.

Getting involved in the union raises awareness of our issues, says Liz Reynolds, a member of the Hartford (Conn.) Federation of Teachers.

"We have to continually make ourselves visible," she says. "That visibility creates a ripple effect that allows us to empower each other."

Solidarity is key, says Marilyn Lawson, a member of the Houston Federation of Teachers. School nurses can leverage their influence by working together on vital issues.

Using their influence is especially important because nurses are not only threatened by a lack of money in school budgets, but their jobs are being whittled away by policies and legislation that transfer their duties to other staff.

"Education is the key to getting people on board," Darold Johnson, the legislative and political coordinator for the Ohio Federation of Teachers, told the nurses. He encouraged them to develop a strategy for securing allies and sharing their stories so that others will understand the plight of schools without nurses.

Edward J. McElroy, the AFT's secretary-treasurer, offered similar encouragement. "So few people really understand what you do as school nurses. That's why it's important for you to get involved. Others are depending on you."