Over the years, the MacGill team has enjoyed meeting thousands of school nurses at conventions across the country and speaking to nurses over the phone, email and live chat. The feedback you give us, the experiences you share, and the way you’re so willing to help others in the school nurse community is inspiring.

While we usually hear uplifting stories about being a school nurse, we also hear that being a school nurse can sometimes feel lonely. But you’re not alone! In an effort to pass on the insights we’ve heard from nurses to others in our community, we compiled a list of budget-friendly items that our customers say they can’t live without. And because of all of the great feedback on these products, we consider them to be school nurse approved!

Ear Ease™ ($13.75) – This is a safe and simple way to reduce the pain and discomfort of earaches in both children and adults. Simply fill the chamber with hot water and hold it over the ear to relieve the pain in minutes. The Ear Ease™ is latex free. 

Safetec Lip Balm ($7.60) – This pomegranate lip balm contains Vitamin E, beeswax and other natural emollients used to help soothe and hydrate dry lips. We hear time and time again how many kids go to the nurse’s office for relief from their chapped lips. Having individual packets to hand out can be a game changer.

Assorted Stickers (Prices vary) – Children (and nurses!) love stickers. Who doesn’t want a badge of honor when they get their vision checked or lose a tooth at school? Stock up on a variety of stickers to help put a smile on children’s faces.

Nurse Nancy ($3.99) – Does this book give you nostalgia? Originally published in the 1950s, Nurse Nancy is still a crowd pleaser at conventions today.

Dermatology DDXDeck ($59.95) – Nurses love the portability of this convenient diagnostic tool! With its laminated cards, you can visually compare potential diagnoses side-by-side and it’s small enough to fit in a desk drawer or tote bag. Each card includes a full color image with information about the diagnosis. Also available in a pediatric version.

Nosebleed Products (Prices vary) – Nosebleeds are incredibly common. That’s why we have a variety of products to stop them quickly, including a large selection of ice packs.

Epi-Access Carrying Case ($39.50) – Designed to store up to eight epinephrine auto-injectors, this case has an area for photo identification, type of allergy, and Rx details. It’s portable and lightweight, making it ideal for storage in the health room or to take on fieldtrips. It can also accommodate asthma inhalers and other medication.

Assorted Posters (Prices vary) – Fun, colorful, and engaging posters can not only increase knowledge, but they can also change attitudes and behaviors. MacGill carries a wide variety of posters but a few very popular posters are:

• Sugar Shockers Poster ($14.95) – This poster lists popular beverages and their sugar content to helps kids understand how much sugar they may be consuming.
• I AM Posters ($89.95) – This group of affirmation posters can be purchased in a set of nine or individually. Their goal is to spread positivity and acceptance.

A Long Way From Henry Street Vol. 2 (FREE) – This book contains incredible stories written entirely by school nurses. The first volume was published in 2004 and it was so popular that we could barely keep up with the demand. Because of its popularity, we published a second volume! The stories contained in these pages may have you laughing, and some may make you cry. But all will be relatable to people doing the tough job of caring for our children. Get your FREE copy of Vol 2 while supplies last!

No matter how many years of experience you have as a school nurse, we hope this list helps you round out your back-to-school shopping list. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help!