The National Association of School Nurses proposed the concept of certification for school nurses in the 1970s. The development and evolution of the school nurse certification process, from concept to reality, is described in this article. It is the first of a 2-part series on national certification for school nurses. Part 2 will examine issues and answer questions about the certification, give information from past and current presidents and certified school nurses about their experiences, and present a forecast about the future of school nurse certification.
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